Effect of Biotic and Abiotic Stresses on Plant Metabolic Pathways

Abstract

Plants are prone to encounter some environmental stresses that include both biotic and abiotic. Plants in response to these stress conditions alter their metabolism at the genetic level with consequential effects at the metabolite production. Phenolic compounds, which are secondary metabolites are one such chemical entity which plays a significant role in various physiological processes of the plant. They are mainly formed by three different types of metabolic pathways that produce phenyl propanoid derivatives, flavonoids, terpenoids based on the needs of the plant and the rate of their production is solely dictated by the type of stress condition. A number of phenolic compounds like phytoalexins, phytoanticipins and nematicides exhibit negative response to biotic stress against several soil borne pathogens and nematodes. But some of the phenolic compounds like acetosyringone, umbelliferone, vanillyl alcohol, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, apigenin and luteolin are found to exhibit beneficial effects to plants by encouraging rhizosphere formation particularly in Leguminosae family. Some of the ROS produced in various stress conditions are effectively dealt by various phenolics with antioxidant activity like hydroxyl benzoic acids and hydroxyl cinnamic acids. As the in vivo production of phenolics in plants is influenced by external factors it can certainly provide information for the adoption of agronomic practices to yield the full befits of commercial exploitation. As the in vivo production of phenolics in plants is influenced by external factors it can certainly provide information for the adoption of agronomic practices to yield the full befits of commercial exploitation.