Molecular and metabolomic interventions for identifying potential bioactive molecules to mitigate diseases and their impacts on crop plants

The multifaceted defense response of plants involves bioactive natural compounds that recognize, intervene, and neutralize the incoming pathogens. Plant secondary metabolites play roles at different stages of infection and disease progression. Studies have shown the synthesis of specific metabolites to confer resistance or tolerance depending on disease severity and other related factors. However, information on the presence, involvement, and regulation of several metabolites remains largely unavailable. The advent of next-gen omics approaches and the availability of high-throughput metabolomics platforms could expedite the studies in this direction. Given this, the present review details the role of secondary metabolites in plant defense, their modulation to achieve better immunity, and the tools and techniques available to study these metabolites. Further, the review also provides a roadmap for undertaking such studies in major crops to delineate the precise roles of novel metabolites and extrapolate the information for developing crops with better resistance against the broad-spectrum of pathogens. •Secondary metabolites produced by plants provide a survival advantage during stresses.•Secondary metabolites have insecticidal, bactericidal, fungicidal, and herbicidal activities.•Integrated omics approaches enable studying genetics and genomics of metabolite biosynthesis.•Genetic manipulation of metabolic pathways will enhance the stress tolerance.