Elevating cut flower production and quality through Chitosan enrichment – A review

Abstract

The combination of biotic and abiotic stresses, along with their unpredictable permutations, significantly diminishes global plant growth and crop yield. The utilization of various chemicals like pesticides, fertilizers, and phyto regulators to enhance crop resilience against multiple stress factors has resulted in notable harm to the environment. In recent times, there has been a growing inclination towards identifying substitute solutions to chemical bactericides and fungicides that are deemed safe and pose minimal risks to human health and the ecosystem. Among these approaches, some promising outcomes have emerged through the use of natural substances like Chitosan. Nonetheless, the response of plants to Chitosan varies based on different structural forms, concentrations, species, and developmental stages. Chitosan, a natural biopolymer with diverse properties, holds multifaceted functions owing to its physical, chemical, and biological attributes. Despite this, the precise mechanism by which chitosan affects plants remains partially comprehended. Consequently, further investigation involving transcriptome and proteome analyses subsequent to chitosan application is necessary to establish methodologies for enhancing plant resilience under conditions of multiple stressors.