Metabolomics, which mainly studies the metabolite components of organisms, tissues, cells and their dynamic changes, is an emerging omics technology following genomics and proteomics. Metabolites are the final products of cellular regulation, and the concentration of metabolites is considered to be the ultimate response of a biological system to genetic or environmental changes. Secondary metabolites with chemical diversity are widely present in living organisms, thus accurate quantification of secondary metabolites through appropriate analytical platforms is an important task of metabolomics. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is the most commonly used method for the detection of metabolites, providing a basis for the wide application of plant secondary metabolites. This review summarizes the advances of using LC-MS/MS techniques for the detection of phytohormone, folic acid, flavonoids and other secondary metabolites.
Keywords: liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS); plant metabolomics; plant secondary metabolites.