Omics Studies and Systems Biology Perspective towards Abiotic Stress Response in Plants

Plant abiotic stress responses are vital yield-restricting aspect in agriculture. Recent technology in plant biology allows research of such stress responses at a molecular scale in plants. Network analysis provides in-depth knowledge regarding omics information visualisation as it reduces the intrinsic intricacy of such data. The use of integrated functional genomics helps to understand the relationship between the genomic profile and the phenotypic profile in different environmental conditions of an organism. Plants’ responses to abiotic stress are often considered as a complex process. Systems biology approaches allow visualising and understanding how plant life works to overcome abiotic stress. The combination of integrated functional genomics along with bioinformatics will put a hand in additional in-depth research knowledge on stress tolerance to plants by exploiting available genetic information and continuously improving techniques and strategies. Most of the omics technologies are high throughput with very rapid data generation rates and humongous outputs. These technologies have made noticeable contributions to the modern-day improvements in our knowledge of plant biology. So, in this review, omics studies and the system biology approach towards abiotic stress tolerance in plants are highlighted.

The Golden Spice Turmeric (<i>Curcuma longa</i>) and Its Feasible Benefits in Prospering Human Health—A Review

From the evolution of the mankind, Turmeric has been used in conventional medication. India is in lead for producing, marketing and exporting the Turmeric and its value added products. Curcuma longa (Turmeric) is an Indian rhizomatous medicinal herb from the Zingiberaceae family that is common and widely available across the globe. The components of Turmeric are curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin and these are collectively known as curcuminoids. Curcumin, the active ingredient of Turmeric is generally investigated by the scientific community for its wide range of antioxidant activity, anti-Inflammatory properties and anti-cancer activity, anti-metabolic syndrome activities, neuroprotective activity, antimicrobial effects, anti-arthritis effects, anti-viral effects, anti-asthma and anti-diabetic effects, anti-obesity, cardio and liver toxicity protection activity, anti-depression and anxiety activities. Turmeric has been widely used as a typical household treatment for cough, sore throat, respiratory ailments and could be an effective immunity booster against SARS-CoV-2 therapy during the ongoing pandemic situation. Safety evaluation studies indicate that both turmeric and curcumin are well tolerated at a very high dose without any toxic effects. Thus, turmeric and its constituents have the potential for the development of modern medicine for the treatment of various diseases. So in this review, we describe the various metabolic roles of curcumin and activities for the benefit of human health.