METABOLIC DIVERSITY AND FUNCTIONAL ROLE OF SECONDARY METABOLITES IN FRUIT CROPS

Abstract

Fruit crops synthesize a diverse group of secondary metabolites, including phenolics, terpenoids and nitrogen-containing compounds, which play essential roles in plant growth, defence, fruit quality and human health. These metabolites contribute to resistance against biotic and abiotic stresses while influencing important organoleptic traits such as colour, flavour, aroma and nutritional value. Despite significant advances in fruit metabolomics, a comprehensive understanding of the metabolomic diversity, regulatory mechanisms, and integration of multi-omics approaches for fruit quality and stress resilience remains limited. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the metabolic diversity, classification, biosynthetic pathways, and regulatory mechanisms of secondary metabolites in fruit crops. It further discusses in metabolomics and integrated omics approaches, their application in breeding and crop improvement and future opportunities for developing nutritionally enriched and climate- resilient fruit cultivars.