A new perspective of melatonin in stress tolerance through regulation of nutrients

Plants are subjected to constant environmental changes, which lead to deleterious mineral deficiencies resulting in constraints in plant growth, and thereby limiting productivity. Essential elements are vital for the production of optimum biomass and yield, while some surplus elements are beneficial for their survival under stress and/or improvement in the quality of economic productivity. Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxy-tryptamine), a low molecular weight signaling molecule, earlier considered as animal hormone, is now known to be synthesized and taken actions in plants. Its impact on plants ranging from dormancy, root and shoot growth, leaf senescence, osmoregulation, and flower and fruit development has been reported. Melatonin has recently gained considerable importance as a mitigator of various abiotic stressors and a multitude of studies has depicted its role in enhancing the nutritional status of crops. Subsequently, it navigates through the multifaceted relationship of melatonin with macronutrients as well as micronutrients. Melatonin modulates nutrient acquisition, assimilation, and distribution within plants, ultimately influences aspects like plant growth and crop yield. This review is a comprehensive approach to understand the role of melatonin biosynthesis, physiological responses, and melatonin interaction with different types of macronutrients and micro -nutrients under stressed conditions in detail, and its future scopes using genome editing tools in plants to make them more tolerant for the same. It also provides a thorough exploration of the intricate interplay between melatonin and essential macronutrients and micronutrients within the context of plant physiology.(c) 2023 SAAB. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.