This Research Topic is part of the article collection series - Enhancing Agricultural Water Management: Techniques for Improving Crop Water Efficiency and Sustainability.

Plant natural products, also referred to as plant specialized metabolites, are small molecules synthesized by plants to adapt to their changing environment. These compounds serve various essential functions, including defense against plant pathogenic microbes and pests, facilitation of pollination, and protection against UV damage. Their distribution tends to be lineage-specific, resulting in highly evolvable biosynthesis pathways compared to primary metabolites. Some specialized metabolites have a rich history of use in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and fuels. The synthesis of plant specialized metabolites is intricately governed by genetic material and regulated by a diverse array of biotic and abiotic environmental factors.

To date, our knowledge of the biosynthesis and regulation of specialized metabolites in various plants remains limited. This Research Topic aims to highlight the latest findings on plant specialized metabolites. The goal is to deepen our understanding of the biosynthetic mechanisms underlying diverse plant specialized metabolites, identify additional regulatory factors, and offer fresh perspectives for the development and utilization of a wide range of plant specialized metabolites.

We invite submissions of original research or review articles related to plant specialized metabolites. The following themes are of particular interest but not limited to:

• Characterization of key genes or transcription factors in plant specialized metabolite biosynthesis

• Mechanism of exogenous regulatory factors impacting plant specialized metabolite biosynthesis

• Application of synthetic biology methods for plant specialized metabolite production

• Discovery of novel plant specialized metabolites with intriguing biological activities

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Plant Natural Products: Biosynthesis, Regulation, and Function, Volume II