metabolites production with potential pharmaceutical use (Jalgaonwala and
Mahajan 2014). Therefore, the inoculation of plants with this type of microorganism is a strategy that can be applied to induce and/or increase the production of
natural bioactive compounds in plants of commercial interest.
Fungi elicitation is a popular practice among horticultural producers due to the
demonstrated increase in crop yield and the production of bioactive compounds.
The ability of plant roots to uptake nutrients from the substrate is enhanced by this
type of elicitation, with a positive influence on phytohormone production and gene
expression reprogramming. Fungi are used as biocontrol treatments, bioremediation
agents, and as biostimulants, which can contribute to the development of sustainable agriculture. In the same way, mineral nutrients play an important role in the
growth, development, and yield of crops (Nath and Tuteja 2016). Nutrient management is a common agricultural practice, especially in soilless cultivation and
controlled systems in order to guarantee high crop yield. On the other hand, consumers demand natural products with high nutritional quality. Both objectives are
feasible to be induced by the nutrition of the crops. Therefore, the management of
nutrients during the production cycle allows a balance between growth and accumulation of bioactive compounds.
The use of specific miRNAs to enhance the production of metabolites is a novel
technique that is still under research and discussion among the scientific community. Research has focused on the identification of the regulatory mechanisms of
these molecules that will lead to the design of strategies for direct manipulation,
identification, and understanding of the spatial and temporal expression scheme of
miRNAs. Innovative tools (e.g., bioinformatics) can be used to predict, by means of
algorithms, the modulation of miRNA molecules which are part of a very complex
regulatory network of secondary metabolites. Research in this area could help to
understand how biosynthetic pathways are modified by these small molecules that
have particular target genes and that can influence metabolic plant bioengineering,
generating technology to induce the production of secondary metabolites.
References
Abdollahi F, Amiri H, Niknam V, Ghanati F, Mahdigholi K (2019) Effects of static magnetic fields
on the antioxidant system of almond seeds. Russ J Plant Physl 66(2):299–307
Agathokleous E, Kitao M, Calabrese EJ (2019) Hormesis: a compelling platform for sophisticated
plant science. Trends Plant Sci 24(4):318–327
Ahmad N, Jones RW (1979) Glycinebetaine, proline and inorganic ion levels in barley seedlings
following transient stress. Plant Sci Lett 15(3):231–237
Akhgari A, Laakso I, Maaheimo H, Choi YH, Seppänen-Laakso T, Oksman-Caldentey K-M,
Rischer H (2019) Methyljasmonate elicitation increases terpenoid indole alkaloid accumulation
in rhazya stricta hairy root cultures. Plants 8(12):534
Akram W, Saeed T, Ahmad A, Yasin NA, Akbar M, Khan WU, Ahmed S, Guo J, Luo W, Wu T
(2020) Liquiritin elicitation can increase the content of medicinally important glucosinolates
and phenolic compounds in Chinese kale plants. J Sci Food Agric 100(4):1616–1624
184
H. Aguirre-Becerra et al.
Mahajan 2014). Therefore, the inoculation of plants with this type of microorganism is a strategy that can be applied to induce and/or increase the production of
natural bioactive compounds in plants of commercial interest.
Fungi elicitation is a popular practice among horticultural producers due to the
demonstrated increase in crop yield and the production of bioactive compounds.
The ability of plant roots to uptake nutrients from the substrate is enhanced by this
type of elicitation, with a positive influence on phytohormone production and gene
expression reprogramming. Fungi are used as biocontrol treatments, bioremediation
agents, and as biostimulants, which can contribute to the development of sustainable agriculture. In the same way, mineral nutrients play an important role in the
growth, development, and yield of crops (Nath and Tuteja 2016). Nutrient management is a common agricultural practice, especially in soilless cultivation and
controlled systems in order to guarantee high crop yield. On the other hand, consumers demand natural products with high nutritional quality. Both objectives are
feasible to be induced by the nutrition of the crops. Therefore, the management of
nutrients during the production cycle allows a balance between growth and accumulation of bioactive compounds.
The use of specific miRNAs to enhance the production of metabolites is a novel
technique that is still under research and discussion among the scientific community. Research has focused on the identification of the regulatory mechanisms of
these molecules that will lead to the design of strategies for direct manipulation,
identification, and understanding of the spatial and temporal expression scheme of
miRNAs. Innovative tools (e.g., bioinformatics) can be used to predict, by means of
algorithms, the modulation of miRNA molecules which are part of a very complex
regulatory network of secondary metabolites. Research in this area could help to
understand how biosynthetic pathways are modified by these small molecules that
have particular target genes and that can influence metabolic plant bioengineering,
generating technology to induce the production of secondary metabolites.
References
Abdollahi F, Amiri H, Niknam V, Ghanati F, Mahdigholi K (2019) Effects of static magnetic fields
on the antioxidant system of almond seeds. Russ J Plant Physl 66(2):299–307
Agathokleous E, Kitao M, Calabrese EJ (2019) Hormesis: a compelling platform for sophisticated
plant science. Trends Plant Sci 24(4):318–327
Ahmad N, Jones RW (1979) Glycinebetaine, proline and inorganic ion levels in barley seedlings
following transient stress. Plant Sci Lett 15(3):231–237
Akhgari A, Laakso I, Maaheimo H, Choi YH, Seppänen-Laakso T, Oksman-Caldentey K-M,
Rischer H (2019) Methyljasmonate elicitation increases terpenoid indole alkaloid accumulation
in rhazya stricta hairy root cultures. Plants 8(12):534
Akram W, Saeed T, Ahmad A, Yasin NA, Akbar M, Khan WU, Ahmed S, Guo J, Luo W, Wu T
(2020) Liquiritin elicitation can increase the content of medicinally important glucosinolates
and phenolic compounds in Chinese kale plants. J Sci Food Agric 100(4):1616–1624
184
H. Aguirre-Becerra et al.