Maize Hydroxycinnamic Acids: Unveiling Their Role in Stress Resilience and Human Health
SILVERIO GARCÍA-LARA
Tzitziki Gonzalez-Rodriguez- 1Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM), Mexico
Maize production is pivotal in ensuring food security, particularly in developing countries. However, the crop encounters multiple challenges stemming from climatic changes that adversely affect its yield, including biotic and abiotic stresses during production and storage. A promising strategy for enhancing maize resilience to these challenges involves modulating its hydroxycinnamic acid amides (HCAAs) content. HCAAs are secondary metabolites present in plants that are essential in developmental processes, substantially contributing to defense mechanisms against environmental stressors, pests, and pathogens, and exhibiting beneficial effects on human health. This mini-review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of HCAAs in maize, including their biosynthesis, functions, distribution, and health potential applications.
Keywords: Maize, bioactive compounds, Breeding, Hydroxycinnamic acid amides, plant defense, phenolics
Received: 19 Oct 2023;
Accepted: 18 Jan 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 GARCÍA-LARA and Gonzalez-Rodriguez. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Prof. SILVERIO GARCÍA-LARA, Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM), Monterrey, Mexico