Plant secondary metabolism results from the interaction between plants and environments, including biotic/abiotic stresses, and ecological factors, during the eons of plant evolution. The biosynthesis and shifts of secondary metabolites have stronger correlation and correspondence with the environment than primary metabolites. Numerous studies over the past few decades have demonstrated that biosynthesis and accumulation of secondary metabolites in plants are often accompanied by various important resistance functions, such as resistance to diseases, insects, other herbivores, and abiotic stresses, such as cold/freeze, drought, salt, ultraviolet, and the others. From an ecological perspective, plant secondary metabolites, including volatile organic compounds and root exudation compounds, play a pivotal role in the crosstalk between plants and other organisms, as well as between plants and the environment. A broad diversity of plant secondary metabolites, including volatiles, phenylpropanoids, cutin wax, carotenoid, lipid, and endogenous phytohormones, play crucial roles of defense, early warning, stress memory, stress acclimation, and serve as chemical modulators of signal transduction with intra-/inter-species or microorganisms. Genetics and pharmacology researches demonstrate that secondary metabolites, which cross-talk with phytohormones, also can act as regulators of plant development and growth. Additionally, environmental factors change the chemical qualities of plant tissues plastically and affect the nutritional value of edible portions.

The goal of this Research Topic is to present the fundamental discoveries, new ideas, and effective methods in the field of Plant Secondary Metabolism (PSM) and Chemoecology. Moreover, the topic aims at inspiring a wide range of interdisciplinary and referential significance concerning the relationship among PSM, environment(s), animals, and microbes.

We welcome submissions of different types of manuscripts including original research papers, reviews, and methods, including but not limited to:
• PSM and Environmental adaptation
• PSM-based Disease resistance/ Allelopathy
• PSM and Herbivore/Insect interactions
• PSM and abiotic stresses tolerance
• Signal interactions between PSM and phytohormones
• PSM and Growth & development
• PSM and belowground/aboveground plant-microbe interaction
• PSM in Agricultural ecosystems
• PSM and Food chemistry
• New techniques for PSM research

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Frontiers in Plant Science

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