Plant production systems for bioactive small molecules

Bioactive small molecules are important dietary components of food, as well as being widely used in diverse industrial sectors, from flavours, fragrances and sweeteners through to natural pesticides and pharmaceuticals. Plants already manufacture many of these bioactives, but often in yields that are not commercially competitive. There are a variety of new pathway engineering, cell culture and molecular breeding strategies in use and in development to improve yield and the robust supply of bioactives in planta. In the future, biorefining applications are likely to play a significant role in providing chemical intermediates for bioactive production from biomass feedstocks.

► Land-based and aquatic plants make many diverse high-value bioactives. ► Productivity can be increased using a range of biotechnologies. ► Production can be based in planta or derived from chemical intermediates of biorefining.