Melatonin as a Pre- and Postharvest Tool for Enhancing Fruit Quality

Area of Science:

• Plant Physiology
• Biochemistry
• Horticultural Science

Background:

• Melatonin (MEL), or N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, is a plant secondary messenger.
• MEL regulates physiological and biochemical processes in horticultural products during growth and ripening.
• It plays a role in reproductive development, tissue maintenance, delayed senescence, and abiotic stress responses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the mechanisms of MEL in plant stress resistance and fruit quality.
• To highlight MEL's role as a sustainable 'green preservative' in postharvest management.
• To summarize MEL's regulatory functions, including hormone cross-talk and redox homeostasis.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of scientific studies on melatonin in plants.
• Analysis of MEL's involvement in physiological and biochemical pathways.
• Examination of MEL's interaction with other plant hormones and signaling pathways.

Main Results:

• MEL treatment enhances antioxidant systems and membrane integrity in fruits.
• It alleviates chilling injury, improving fruit firmness and color.
• MEL regulates redox homeostasis, hormone signaling, and stress-responsive pathways.

Conclusions:

• Melatonin is an eco-friendly tool for extending the shelf-life and maintaining the quality of fruits and vegetables.
• MEL's multifunctional regulatory capacity makes it a promising sustainable postharvest preservative.
• Further research into MEL's innovative regulatory mechanisms can optimize its application in agriculture.