A meta-analysis of photosynthetic efficiency and stress mitigation by melatonin in enhancing wheat tolerance

作者：Ihsan Muhammad, Fahim Ullah, Shakeel Ahmad, Bandar M. AlMunqedhi, Dunia A. Al Farraj, Mohamed S. Elshikh, Weijun Shen · 发表于：BMC Plant Biology · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1186/s12870-024-05132-2 · 被引用次数：23 · 研究领域：Circadian rhythm and melatonin、Light effects on plants、Plant Stress Responses and Tolerance

Abstract Background Our meta-analysis examines the effects of melatonin on wheat under varying abiotic stress conditions, focusing on photosynthetic parameters, chlorophyll fluorescence, leaf water status, and photosynthetic pigments. We initially collected 177 publications addressing the impact of melatonin on wheat. After meticulous screening, 31 published studies were selected, encompassing 170 observations on photosynthetic parameters, 73 on chlorophyll fluorescence, 65 on leaf water status, 240 on photosynthetic pigments. Results The analysis revealed significant heterogeneity across studies (I² > 99.90%) for the aforementioned parameters and evidence of publication bias, emphasizing the complex interaction between melatonin application and plant physiological responses. Melatonin enhanced the overall response ratio (ln RR ) for photosynthetic rates, stomatal conductance, transpiration rates, and fluorescence yields by 20.49, 22.39, 30.96, and 1.09%, respectively, compared to the control (no melatonin). The most notable effects were under controlled environmental conditions. Moreover, melatonin significantly improved leaf water content and reduced water potential, particularly under hydroponic conditions and varied abiotic stresses, highlighting its role in mitigating water stress. The analysis also revealed increases in chlorophyll pigments with soil drenching and foliar spray, and these were considered the effective application methods. Furthermore, melatonin influe...