Phytomelatonin is a versatile compound with important roles in plants, spanning from promoting germination and plant growth to defending against abiotic and biotic stresses. Its natural origin as biostimulator aligns with sustainable agricultural practices that aim to reduce reliance on synthetic agrochemicals while supporting crop productivity. As research progresses and reveals its full potential across various sectors of agriculture and food production systems, phytomelatonin emerges as a promising candidate for integrated crop management, with the goal of achieving more resilient and sustainable food systems worldwide. More agronomic data will be essential to decide whether the use of (phyto)melatonin can be a clear advance in the improvement of crops and their production. This paper presents the possible improvements and challenges to be faced in order to elucidate whether the cost/benefit balance in the use of melatonin in crops will be environmentally and economically sustainable.
Arnao et al. (Thu,) studied this question.