Legume Health: Unveiling the Potential of Plant Elicitor Peptides

Legumes are one of the most important economic crops cultivated for their nutritional value which includes proteins, dietary fibers, phytosterols, polyphenols, and micronutrients. However, they are challenged by many factors like water scarcity, high salinity, metal toxicity, and biotic factors like microorganisms and parasitic nematodes. To protect themselves against these potential threats, plants produce many signaling molecules like peptide elicitors called plant elicitor peptides. Plant elicitor peptides (PEPs) are a class of elicitors which elicits defense responses by activating defense pathways in terms of elevated expression of defense-related genes, hormone production, and induction of secondary messenger synthesis. They belong to a class of endogenous elicitors which lead to enhanced immunity against various abiotic and biotic stresses. These peptides are perceived by membrane receptors in the plant cells, which bind to the peptide ligands to initiate the signaling cascades. The exploration of PEP’s represents a good alternative with potential in crop protection. This chapter deals with the peptide elicitors used to combat abiotic and biotic stress in leguminous plants.