The majority of the most economically important plant and crop species are enriched with the availability of high-quality reference genome sequences forming the basis of gene discovery which control the important biochemical pathways. The transcriptomics and proteomics resources have also been made available for many of these plant species that intensify the understanding at expression levels. However, still we lack integrated studies spanning genomics–transcriptomics–proteomics, connected to metabolomics, the most complicated phase in phenotype expression. Nevertheless, for the past few decades, emphasis has been more on metabolome which plays a crucial role in defining the phenotype (trait) during crop improvement. The emergence of modern high throughput metabolome analyzing platforms have accelerated the discovery of a wide variety of biochemical types of metabolites and new pathways, also helped in improving the understanding of known existing pathways. Pinpointing the causal gene(s) and elucidation of metabolic pathways are very important for development of improved lines with high precision in crop breeding. Along with other -omics sciences, metabolomics studies have helped in characterization and annotation of a new gene(s) function. Hereby, we summarize several areas in the field of crop development where metabolomics studies have made its remarkable impact. We also assess the recent research on metabolomics, together with other omics, contributing toward genetic engineering to target traits and key pathway(s).

Another ecological theory relates to the concept of limiting similarity. This theory proposes that invasive species have characteristics that are different from those of native species within an ecosystem. Research has shown that invasive species have wider physiological niches, more efficient means of acquiring resources, and traits associated with the fast-return end of the leaf economics spectrum (LES). Invasive species have lower leaf mass per square meter, higher rates of carbon assimilation, and higher nitrogen content in their leaves. These characteristics enable invasive species to thrive in resource-poor environments. Also, invasive species exhibit high phenotypic plasticity, enabling them to survive in diverse environmental conditions. Such plasticity is associated with features such as the ability of invasive species to develop their leaves early in their life cycle, high water-use efficiency, and high photosynthesis rates at low light intensities. Such traits provide invasive species with a competitive advantage over native species. Overall, the complexity of invasive plant species is well documented in the scientific literature. While many factors contribute to the success of invasive species, including resource availability, disturbance regimes, and environmental changes, it is necessary to study their physiological traits to develop management strategies. So, continued research into the invasiveness of plant species, especially in resource-poor environments, is needed to understand the mechanisms behind their invasiveness and to develop effective management plans to control their impact on ecosystems.