Melatonin: a multifaceted regulator of root development, stress responses, and hormonal crosstalk in horticultural crops
PMC12976024
· 10.3389/fpls.2026.1718959
Gap Declaration
The identification and functional characterization of melatonin receptors in roots, as well as downstream signaling components, are critical for understanding melatonin perception and signaling specificity. In addition, post-transcriptional regulatory layers, including miRNA-mediated pathways and RNA modification, remain largely unexplored in the context of melatonin-regulated root development. Future studies integrating genetic mutants, cell-type-specific analyses, and multi-omics approaches will be essential to unravel the context-dependent roles of melatonin in root systems and to facilitate its rational application in sustainable crop production. Edited by: Andrzej Bajguz, University of Białystok, Poland Reviewed by: Krzysztof Mikołajczak, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland Peihua Du, Tarim University, China Zhang Guoliang, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, China
Abstract
Melatonin is increasingly recognized as a multifunctional signaling molecule involved in plant growth regulation and stress adaptation. Recent studies have revealed that melatonin plays a pivotal role in shaping root system architecture (RSA) by modulating root growth dynamics, lateral root formation, and root-microbe interactions. This review highlights emerging evidence that melatonin regulates RSA through complex crosstalk with phytohormones, reactive oxygen species, and stress‐responsive signaling pathways, rather than acting solely as a growth regulator. Importantly, accumulating evidence indicates that melatonin functions as an integrative regulator of RSA by coordinating multiple hormone signaling pathways, including auxin, jasmonic acid, ethylene, cytokinins, salicylic acid, and ab…
Conclusions / Discussion
Conclusions and future perspectives Plant roots are essential for plant growth, stress perception, and environmental adaptation, and accumulating evidence establishes melatonin as a key integrative regulator of root system architecture. At appropriate concentrations, exogenous melatonin promotes primary, lateral, and adventitious root development, delays stress-induced root senescence, and enhances whole-plant performance under adverse conditions. Mechanistically, melatonin functions in a concentration-dependent manner, coordinating multiple phytohormone pathways—particularly through synergistic interactions with auxin and antagonistic regulation of stress-associated hormones such as abscisic acid—while maintaining redox homeostasis via its antioxidant capacity. In parallel, melatonin modulates nutrient acquisition and metabolic reprogramming, underscoring its pleiotropic role in sustaining root growth under environmental stress. From an applied perspective, melatonin represents a promising and environmentally friendly regulator for horticultural and agricultural production. Its capacity to stimulate adventitious root formation, improve root performance under flooding or nutrient d…
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Structural Hole
65% bridge
Technique originates in genomics bioinformatics; functional analogues in epidemiology, psychology literature are absent.
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