Melatonin in Horticultural Plants

Chapter 1: Abiotic stress effects on performance of horticultural crops

• • I. Introduction
• • II. Controlled abiotic stress management for horticultural crop production
• • III. Regulation of oxidative stress in horticultural crops
• • IV. Types of abiotic stresses
• • V. Salinity
• • VI. Drought
• • VII. Heat
• • VIII. Cold
• • IX. Heavy metals
• • X. Conclusion

Chapter 2: Melatonin: Biosynthesis, content, and function in horticultural plants and potential application

• • I. Introduction
• • II. Synthetic pathway of melatonin in horticultural plants
• • III. Regulatory genes involved in melatonin reaction pathway
• • IV. Content and distribution of melatonin in horticultural plants
• • V. Effect of melatonin on horticultural plants and the underlying mechanism
• • VI. Endogenous melatonin in horticultural plants
• • VII. The versatility of melatonin synthetic enzymes in horticultural plants
• • VIII. Melatonin metabolism in horticultural plants and the evolutionary consequences
• • IX. Conclusion and future perspectives

Chapter 3: Melatonin-mediated photosynthetic performance of horticultural plants under abiotic stress

• • I. Introduction
• • II. Role of melatonin in photosynthesis
• • III. How melatonin influences photosynthesis
• • IV. How melatonin enhances photosynthesis in horticultural plants
• • V. Effect of melatonin on photosynthetic productivity
• • VI. Melatonin-mediated regulation of respiration
• • VII. Effect of melatonin on photosynthetic and respiratory pigments
• • VIII. Impact of melatonin on chlorophyll and carotenoids levels
• • IX. Factors influencing melatonin effects on photosynthetic pigments
• • X. Conclusion and future perspectives

Chapter 4: Melatonin-modified root architecture system and accelerated mineral nutrient fluxes of horticultural plant under abiotic stresses

• • I. Introduction
• • II. What is root architecture?
• • III. Nutritional effects on root architecture
• • IV. Melatonin effect on root architecture
• • V. Effects of nutrient availability on epidermal differentiation
• • VI. Effects of nutrient availability on root growth and lateral root development
• • VII. Role of melatonin in the regulation of root architecture and nutrient uptake
• • VIII. Nutrient ions as signaling molecules for the regulation of root development
• • IX. Conclusion

Chapter 5: Melatonin: Awakening the defense mechanisms during horticultural plant oxidative stress

• • I. Introduction
• • II. Reactive oxygen species and the plant antioxidant defense system
• • III. Role of endogenous melatonin in the plant oxidative stress system
• • IV. Exogenous melatonin with plant antioxidant enzymes
• • V. Exogenous melatonin and enzymes involved in the AsA-GSH cycle
• • VI. Melatonin and non-enzymatic antioxidants in horticultural plants
• • VII. Future prospects

Chapter 6: Melatonin: A small molecule but important for salt stress tolerance in horticultural plants

• • I. A brief introduction to salinity and its effects
• • II. Function and mechanism of melatonin effects on plant salt tolerance
• • III. The role of melatonin in salinity stress signaling
• • IV. Melatonin promotes ion homeostasis under salt stress
• • V. Melatonin regulates plant hormones metabolism
• • VI. Melatonin balanced mineral homeostasis in horticultural plants under salinity
• • VII. Conclusions and future perspectives

Chapter 7: Emerging roles of melatonin in mitigating drought stress of horticultural plants

• • I. Introduction
• • II. Drought stress and its impacts on plant physiology
• • III. Role of melatonin in regulation of plant physiology
• • IV. Functions of exogenous melatonin under salt stress
• • V. Melatonin-mediated regulation of plant biology under drought stress
• • VI. Melatonin-induced waterlogging stress tolerance
• • VII. Conclusions and perspectives

Chapter 8: Melatonin as a new player in the battle against cold stress in horticultural plants

• • I. Introduction
• • II. Effect of cold stress on horticultural plants
• • III. Melatonin as cold stress reliever
• • IV. Potential of melatonin in managing cold stress in horticultural plants
• • V. Melatonin regulated photosynthetic mechanism in horticultural plants
• • VI. Melatonin upregulated secondary metabolites production under cold stress
• • VII. Conclusion and perspectives

Chapter 9: Melatonin: A vital protectant for horticultural crops against heat stress -- Mechanisms and prospects

• • I. Introduction
• • II. Horticultural plant responses to heat stress
• • III. Heat stress-induced melatonin biosynthesis in horticultural plants
• • IV. Melatonin a promising molecule to improve heat stress tolerance in plants
• • V. Photosynthetic regulation by melatonin under heat stress
• • VI. Success stories of engineering melatonin to improve heat tolerance
• • VII. Conclusion and perspectives

Chapter 10: Melatonin: A promising approach to enhance heavy metal stress tolerance in horticultural plants

• • I. Introduction
• • II. Mechanism of heavy metal-induced growth inhibition
• • III. Heavy metal-induced endogenous melatonin accumulation in horticultural plants
• • IV. Role of exogenous melatonin on heavy metal stress tolerance
• • V. Mechanisms of melatonin-mediated heavy metal stress tolerance
• • VI. Endogenous melatonin in heavy metals stress tolerance
• • VII. Conclusions and future perspectives

Chapter 11: Melatonin interaction with other phytohormones in regulation of abiotic stresses in horticultural plants

• • I. Introduction
• • II. Role of melatonin in plant growth and development
• • III. Crosstalk between melatonin and other phytohormones
• • IV. Melatonin and auxin
• • V. Melatonin and gibberellic acids
• • VI. Melatonin and cytokinins
• • VII. Melatonin and abscisic acid
• • VIII. Melatonin and ethylene
• • IX. Melatonin and salicylic acid
• • X. Melatonin and jasmonic acid
• • XI. Melatonin receptors and signaling in plants
• • XII. Conclusions and future prospects

Chapter 12: Functions of melatonin during postharvest of horticultural crops

• • I. Introduction
• • II. Influence the melatonin content in horticultural crops
• • III. Regulation of melatonin on the maturation and aging of horticultural crops
• • IV. The influence of melatonin on post-harvest preservation of horticultural crops
• • V. The impact of melatonin on postharvest quality of horticultural crops
• • VI. Melatonin and fruit ripening: a complex plant signal interaction
• • VII. Melatonin delays horticultural crop senescence
• • VIII. Melatonin improves the nutritional quality of horticultural crops
• • IX. Melatonin treatment palliates chilling injury in horticultural crops
• • I. Conclusions and future prospects