Secondary metabolites during early development in plants

Abstract

Early development is a critical stage in a plant's life, as the plant must establish itself in the ecosystem during this period. The secondary metabolites (SM) during this phase is a strategy that contributes to the survival of plant species. Through a review of the literature, a number of reports were found that investigated the presence of SM during germination and early plant development (phases 0 and 1 according to the Zadoks and BBCH scales). A total of 250 reports were found that investigated 99 species and nearly 200 SM that accumulate during this period of the plant life cycle. A large portion of the SM are biosynthesised de novo, whereas the remainder are derived in part or in total from the mother plant. In many cases, the resources for biosynthesis are supplied only by the reserve material of the endosperm or cotyledons, which allows for independent photosynthesis. The presence of SM at these stages confers characteristics of more advanced stages, such as tissue-specific distribution, spatio-temporal regulation, and the individual regulation of all of the biosynthesised SM. The amount and diversity of SM are not universally related to the progress of plant development, but it is a widespread phenomenon. The early production of SM has ecological implications that involve defence mechanisms, relationships with microorganisms, and the role of these compounds as nitrogen reserves. This review contributes to the systematisation of studies on SM in the early stages of development.

Wild Pepper Capsicum annuum L. var. glabriusculum: Taxonomy, Plant Morphology, Distribution, Genetic Diversity, Genome Sequencing, and Phytochemical Compounds

“…These compounds are produced by plants as a means of communication with the environment in which they grow. They are considered to be nonessential for cells but have been observed to be involved in ecological functions (De La Cruz‐Chacón et al, 2013). Capsicum fruits are a rich source of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, capsaicinoids, carotenoids, tocopherols, ascorbic acid (Wahyuni et al, 2013), and volatile compounds (Forero et al, 2009).…”

FEATURES OF THE PHENOLICS’ FORMATION IN SEEDLINGS OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF BUCKWHEAT (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench)

“…In all other cases, a higher accumulation of these substances in the cotyledon leaves compared with hypocotyls were observed. The significant accumulation of phenolic compounds in the leaves, especially during the early stages of plant development, was reported [13,26], that is to be expected, since the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds in the cells of higher plants depends on the chloroplast functions [10,27,28].…”

“…Phenolic compounds are formed in all plant tissues and their functional role is extremely varied and associated with the processes of photosynthesis, respiration, allelopathy, anti-stress effects, regulation of plant growth and development [10,12]. The accumulation of these secondary metabolites depends on the plant species, stage of development and growth conditions [11,13]. The study of the formation of polyphenols is of great practical interest, since they play an important role in the regulation of plant life.…”

Network during light-induced cotyledons opening and greening in Astragalus membranaceus

“…Beyond that, contents of secondary metabolites such as flavonoids and phenolic acids increased early during seedling establishment in A. thaliana (Bowler et al 2013), silver birch (Luis et al 2011), white birch (Laitinen et al 2002) and tomato (Tamagnone et al 1998). It is well established that tissue contents of secondary metabolites may vary pronouncedly and species-specifically in seedlings (Chacón et al 2013;Roldan et al 2014). Thus, the interrelationship between morphogenesis and general plant metabolism still needs to be further evaluated in detail in additional species (Bellaire et al 2014).…”