Role of terpenes in plant growth and defense responses against herbivores and pathogens

Mohammed Ali.

** Egyptian Deserts Gene Bank, North Sinai Research Station, Department of Genetic Resources, Desert Research Center, Egypt. 

mohammedalidrc@gmail.com

Abstract

Plants are organisms under constant biotic and a biotic stress. Due to their sessile condition, they have developed a plethora of physical and chemical to enhancement the growth and for defences to make front to herbivores and pathogens. Chemical for growth and defences are very versatile: many plants have permanent reserves of chemical compounds (known as terpenes) to face biotic and a biotic stress immediately, but these terpenes can also increase, change and de novo compounds can be produced when biotic and a biotic stress are detected. More than 100,000 chemical compounds are considered to play growth and defensive roles in plants. About 20-30,000 of these compounds are terpenes, a type of hydrocarbons that has a very wide range of structures and functions. Some terpenes are related to the primary plant metabolism such as the carotenoid pigments, phytol side chain of chlorophyll, gibberellin plant hormones, phytosterols of cellular membranes and are important for plant growth and development. However, majority of terpenes that have been identified are categories as secondary metabolites, and play essential roles in the interactions of plants with the environment. Both nonvolatile and volatile terpenes have roles in such processes as the predators of herbivores and protection against photo-oxidative stress, attraction of both pollinators and the direct defense against insects and microbes. This presentation provides new and valuable information about the role of terpenes in plant growth and the defense responses against herbivores and pathogens through presented our published articles and recently works.

Keywords: Terpenes, Secondary metabolites, Plant growth, Herbivores, Pathogens.