Role of Melatonin in Plant Growth, Metabolism, and Abiotic Stress Tolerance
A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2026) | Viewed by 2461
Special Issue Editors
Interests: melatonin; environmental stress; salinity; habanero pepper; proline metabolism; oxidative stress
Interests: melatonin; environmental stress; salinity; habanero pepper; proline; glutamate receptor; melatonin receptor and oxidative stress
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Melatonin is an indole molecule (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) first discovered in animals, recognized for its role in regulating the sleep and circadian rhythms. However, in plants called phytomelatonin, it was detected in 1995, and more recent research has revealed that this molecule appears in roots, leaves, fruits, and seeds, where it plays vital roles in mitigating adverse environmental stress conditions. The MT molecule plays an important role in a number of physiological processes in plants, ranging from germination, root and shoot growth, photosynthesis, stomatal closure, osmoregulation, secondary metabolism, leaf senescence, regulation of the circadian cycle, flowering and fruit set, and even protection against biotic and abiotic factors. It plays an important role in increasing the antioxidant capacity of plant cells, with this being one of its most studied functions. Identified in Arabidopsis thaliana, the first melatonin receptor reported for plants, called PHYTOMELATONIN RECEPTOR 1 (AtPMTR1), has been fundamental for the recent consideration of melatonin as a plant hormone, and it has been clearly shown that this molecule is distributed universally, being identified in prokaryotic bacteria and in higher plants, being a molecule with a high level of conservation at the phylogenetic level. In the context of climate change, pollution, and an increase in extreme events, the study of plant melatonin has become very relevant. This Special Issue will explore the mechanisms of melatonin action, including how it contributes to the acclimation of plants to environmental stress conditions. Given its effectiveness, melatonin has been studied as an agricultural biostimulant, capable of improving crop yield under stressful conditions. Exogenous applications (via spraying or irrigation) have shown good results in crops such as rice, tomato, wheat, and grapes; this opens new possibilities for the development of sustainable agricultural strategies, especially in regions affected by climate change.
Dr. Manuel Martínez-Estévez
Dr. Ileana Echevarría-Machado
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- melatonin
- oxidative stress
- proline
- salinity
- crop protection
- environmental stress
- serotonin
- aluminum
- cell wall
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