Impact of Various Environmental StressFactors on Productivity, Quality, and Secondary Metabolites of Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.)

Abstract

Plants are subjected to various environmental stress factors as biotic (pathogens, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, etc.) and abiotic stress (freezing, radiation, salinity, floods, drought, high temperature, heavy metals). These stress factors decrease the crop production and chemical constituents by affecting the plants at the different growth stages. Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) occupies an important position among these plants, which belongs to the Fabaceae family and is widely considered as an antidiabetic and anticholesterol herb. These stress factors affect the morphological properties, yield attributes, and secondary metabolites of fenugreek. Field experiments revealed that several abiotic factors such as water stress, drought, low and high soil pH values, salinity, and nutrient deficiencies reduce plant growth by affecting various physiological and biochemical processes in the plant. Furthermore, population of root nodulating soil bacteria face same adverse environmental conditions as their legume partner. In addition, the pesticides induce oxidative stress and cytotoxic effects in fenugreek seedlings with appreciable reduction in mitotic index, induction of chromosomal abnormalities in root meristematic cell, and decreased level of accumulation of some key cell cycle regulators. Therefore, strategic measures should be taken in management of these environmental stresses. For example, conventional breeding or biotechnological approaches should be maintained to put forth new fenugreek species resistant to stress factors and these techniques also help the fenugreek producers to obtain higher yielding species under environmental stress conditions. Also, rhizobia strains should be developed to abiotic and biotic stress tolerance. In this review, the effect of various environmental stress factors on the growth and development of fenugreek has been summarized. Also, it is outlined the recent advancements and future perspective about such topic on fenugreek.