Phytomelatonin: A Comprehensive Guide to Melatonin in Plant Biology

Phytomelatonin, or melatonin in plants, has been a topic of extensive research in recent years. The exponential growth in publications related to phytomelatonin signifies the importance of this biomolecule in plant biology. This guide aims to compile the most recent developments in the arena of melatonin-mediated regulation of plant physiology under optimal and sub-optimal conditions.

Understanding the Multifarious Roles of Melatonin in Plants

Research on phytomelatonin has shown that melatonin plays a crucial role in various aspects of plant biology, including:

• Seed Germination and Seedling Growth: Melatonin promotes seed germination and seedling growth, influencing the early stages of plant development.
• Plant Development and Senescence: Melatonin influences plant development and senescence, affecting the overall lifespan and health of the plant.
• Flowering and Fruiting Time: Melatonin can alter flowering and fruiting time, impacting the reproductive cycle of plants.
• Grain Yield: Melatonin can improve grain yield, making it an essential factor in crop production.
• Circadian Rhythms: Melatonin modulates circadian rhythms, helping plants maintain their internal biological clock.
• Resistance to Stress: Melatonin improves resistance against biotic stress and tolerance to abiotic stress, enhancing plant resilience.
• Oxidative Stress Reduction: Melatonin reduces oxidative stress, protecting plants from damage caused by free radicals.
• Plant Immune Response: Melatonin stimulates the plant immune response, helping plants defend against pathogens and diseases.

Advances in Melatonin Research and Applications

The book aims to integrate the overall mechanistic function of melatonin, utilizing genomics and proteomics tools, and genetic engineering to manipulate endogenous melatonin levels. This comprehensive approach will provide a holistic view of plant-level studies under normal or challenging situations.

By understanding the diverse functions of melatonin in plants, researchers can design future programs aimed at exploiting melatonin as a protective agent to develop climate-resilient and pathogen-resistant plants. This will largely benefit crop protection programs and ensure food security.

Target Audience and Benefits

This book will be beneficial to research scholars and Ph.D. students involved in melatonin research, working on stress physiology, stress proteins, genomics, proteomics, and genetic engineering in different universities and research institutes worldwide. It can also be used as an advanced reference book for coursework at the research and master’s level.

The book will indirectly benefit industries or companies that manufacture or sell chemical products, as it highlights the antioxidative potential of melatonin. Applying melatonin as an ameliorating agent against different stresses at the field level will increase the demand for this chemical among farmers, promoting large-scale sales and utilization of melatonin for ensuring crop protection and increasing yield.