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Plant Secondary Metabolites and Their General Function in Plants

Part of the Learning Materials in Biosciences book series (LMB)

Abstract

Primary metabolites are compounds that are associated with essential cellular functions. Therefore, they are very much ubiquitously found in all plants. By contrast, secondary metabolites have much more specific functions. They are often species specific and can be dispensable under many conditions. Nevertheless, the basis of most secondary metabolites are by-products or intermediates of primary metabolism. Secondary metabolites do not generally increase a plant fitness, but in the natural environment, they might be essential for survival and reproduction. They are thus mostly made under controlled conditions for a specific purpose such as defence against pathogens and herbivores, improved tolerance to abiotic stresses, attraction of insects and animals for fertilization and/or seed dispersal or repellence of unwanted feeders.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Biology II, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany

    Angelika Böttger

  2. IZMB-Plant Cell Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

    Ute Vothknecht

  3. Department Biology I, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany

    Cordelia Bolle

  4. Inst. Molecular Toxicology/Pharmacology, Helmholtz Zentrum Münich, Neuherberg, Germany

    Alexander Wolf

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  1. Angelika Böttger
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  2. Ute Vothknecht
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  3. Cordelia Bolle
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  4. Alexander Wolf
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Correspondence to Angelika Böttger .

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Böttger, A., Vothknecht, U., Bolle, C., Wolf, A. (2018). Plant Secondary Metabolites and Their General Function in Plants. In: Lessons on Caffeine, Cannabis & Co. Learning Materials in Biosciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99546-5_1

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