biochemical trait metabolite content trait Plant metabolites are organic compounds produced by plants, categorized broadly into primary and secondary metabolites, each serving distinct roles in plant life. Primary metabolites, which include amino acids, vitamins, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, are essential for growth and development. Secondary metabolites are not directly involved in basic growth but often have important ecological functions. Examples include antibiotics and pigments, terpenoids, glucosinolates, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, and lignin. plant_trait_ontology TO:0000281 A biochemical trait (TO:0000277) which is the amount of a metabolite in a plant structure (PO:0009011).