Abstract
Role of melatonin in vertebrates and plant growth and metabolism is well evident now. Melatonin is a non-toxic biological substance (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine), synthesized naturally in the pineal gland of animals, whereas tissues (leaves, fruits, stems, roots, and seeds) of various plant parts. It plays a crucial role in the plant immune response along with other important chemicals like nitric oxide and various hormones like salicylic acid and jasmonic acid. Plant releases melatonin in response to both abiotic (elevated soil salinity, variations in temperature, drought, toxins, etc.) and biotic (fungal infection) stress conditions. In fruit and vegetable crops, melatonin is widely involved in physiological and biological processes at both pre-harvest and postharvest stage. These include plant growth, flowering, germination of pollen, enhance fruit production, rhizogenesis, senescence, and postharvest preservation. Apart from this, it plays an important role in improving cell–water relationship, photosynthesis, primary and secondary metabolism, CO2 uptake, etc. It is also reported that melatonin is associated with majority of other plant hormones. Melatonin triggers the production of pathogenesis-related proteins, which bolster the plant’s defence against pathogens, and antioxidant enzymes, which help neutralize harmful reactive oxygen species produced during stress. This chapter highlights the regulatory role of melatonin in the context of its pre-harvest (flower development, flowering, and fruit setting) as well as postharvest influence (fruit development and fruit ripening) on fruit and vegetables.
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Saroj, N. et al. (2023). Regulatory Role of Melatonin in Flowering, Fruit Setting, and Ripening. In: Kumar, R., Altaf, M.A., Lal, M.K., Tiwari, R.K. (eds) Melatonin in Plants: A Regulator for Plant Growth and Development. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-6745-2_4
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