title: Melatonin: Current Status and Future Perspectives in Plant Science.
abstract: Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a ubiquitous molecule with pleiotropic actions in different organisms. It performs many important functions in human, animals, and plants; these range from regulating circadian rhythms in animals to controlling senescence in plants. In this review, we summarize the available information regarding the presence of melatonin in different plant species, along with highlighting its biosynthesis and mechanisms of action. We also collected the available information on the effects of melatonin application on commercially important crops to improve their growth and development. Additionally, we have identified many new aspects where melatonin may have possible roles in plants, for example, its function in improving the storage life and quality of fruits and vegetables, its role in vascular reconnection during the grafting process and nutrient uptake from roots by modifying root architecture. Another potentially important aspect is the production of melatonin-rich food crops (cereals, fruits, and vegetables) through combination of conventional and modern breeding approaches, to increase plant resistance against biotic and abiotic stress, leading to improved crop yields, and the nutraceutical value of produce to solve food security issues.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Ministry of EducationWuhan, China; Department of Horticulture, University College of Agriculture, University of SargodhaSargodha, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nawaz
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Ministry of Education Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Ministry of Education Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Zhilong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bie
authors.affiliation: Sector Advisor-Horticulture, USAID-CNFA Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Waqar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio San Antonio, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Russel J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Ministry of Education Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Mengliang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Ministry of Education Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Saba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hameed
keywords: antioxidants; biosynthesis; melatonin; physiological functions; root growth; stress tolerance