How Melatonin Affects Plant Growth and the Associated Microbiota

Melatonin is found in all classes of living organisms. In particular, in plants melatonin acts as an antioxidant that helps plants deal with both biotic and abiotic stress. In plants, melatonin improves seed germination, fruit ripening, photosynthesis, biomass production, circadian rhythm, membrane integrity, root development, leaf senescence, osmoregulation, and stress modulation. Melatonin concentrations vary enormously in different plants, different plant growth stages, different plant organs, and both the season and time of day that a plant is harvested. In addition, melatonin promotes root growth and development, prevents leaf senescence, promotes flowering and fruit ripening, promotes lateral root formation, stimulates gene expression of enzymes involved in photosynthesis, and protects plants from phytopathogen attack. Moreover, melatonin produced by soil bacteria can affect plant tolerance and health; in turn, melatonin synthesized by plants can influence the soil and rhizosphere microbiome. Finally, very recent literature indicates that melatonin can directly and positively affect the functioning of other soil bacteria.