Metabolite profiling for plant research

Abstract: Metabolomics is a valuable technology for improving our understanding of the physiology and biochemistry of organisms. The analysis of metabolites produced by microorganisms, cells, and different tissues helps in understanding the biosynthetic and catabolic pathways present and how those pathways are affected by genetic and environmental factors. In plants, this valuable technique is being applied to many aspects of plant biology, including growth and development, responses to external stresses, genetics, and nutritional requirements. Thus, it complements other Omics technologies applied to elucidate the functionality of cells, tissues, and plant systems. Wide adoption of metabolic profiling in plants will eventually create synergistic payoffs in our understanding of metabolic regulation in plant biology.