Horticulturae | Invitation to Read the 2025 Highly Viewed Papers in the “Protected Culture” Section

It is our pleasure to present the highly viewed papers published in 2025 in Horticulturae (ISSN: 2311-7524) in the Section “Protected Culture”. We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding individuals and teams whose work inspires fellow researchers and profoundly influences the field of horticultural science. We therefore invite you to read the outstanding works listed below.

1. “Soilless Agricultural Systems: Opportunities, Challenges, and Applications for Enhancing Horticultural Resilience to Climate Change and Urbanization”
by Imran Ali Lakhiar, Haofang Yan, Tabinda Naz Syed, Chuan Zhang, Sher Ali Shaikh, Md. Rakibuzzaman and Rahim Bux Vistro
Horticulturae 2025, 11(6), 568; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11060568
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/6/568

2. “Optimizing Planting Density for Increased Resource Use Efficiency in Baby-Leaf Production of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) in Vertical Farms”
by Vivek Jadhav, Tiziano Grondona, Alessandro Pistillo, Giuseppina Pennisi, Marco Ghio, Giorgio Gianquinto and Francesco Orsini
Horticulturae 2025, 11(4), 343; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11040343
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/4/343

3. “Advancing Light-Mediated Technology in Plant Growth and Development: The Role of Blue Light”
by Qiong Su, Yoo Gyeong Park, Rohit Dilip Kambale, Jeffrey Adelberg, Raghupathy Karthikeyan and Byoung Ryong Jeong
Horticulturae 2025, 11(7), 795; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11070795
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/7/795

4. “Regulation of Anthocyanins and Quality in Strawberries Based on Light Quality”
by Fang Wang, Jingxuan Wang, Guangsi Ji, Xinna Kang, Yali Li, Jiangtao Hu, Chun Qian and Sen Wang
Horticulturae 2025, 11(4), 377; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11040377
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/4/377

5. “Enhancement of Growth and Quality of Winter Watermelon Using LED Supplementary Lighting”
by Md Mukhtar Hossain, Yuki Shibasaki and Fumiyuki Goto
Horticulturae 2025, 11(3), 262; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11030262
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/3/262

6. “Balancing Yield and Sustainability: A Comparative Analysis of Supplemental Lighting in Commercial-Scale Cucumber Cultivation”
by Seyed Mohammad Hashemi, Andrzej Kurenda, Selin Karatepe and Nick A. Savidov
Horticulturae 2025, 11(1), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11010079
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/1/79

7. “Comparative Study on Aquaponic and Hydroponic Systems for Sustainable Hemp Production in a Controlled Environment”
by Zarin Subah, Jae Hyeon Ryu and Amin Mirkouei
Horticulturae 2025, 11(6), 588; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11060588
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/6/588

8. “Cultivating the Future: A Bibliometric Review of Emerging Trends in Soilless Farming”
by Diego Appicciutoli, Alessandro Sebastian Amici, Deborah Bentivoglio, Giulia Chiaraluce, Giacomo Staffolani and Adele Finco
Horticulturae 2025, 11(2), 140; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11020140
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/2/140

9. “Effects of Different LED Light Quality Combinations on Nutritional Quality and Physiological Characteristics of Celery”
by Kaiyue Liu, Li Tang, Qianwen Chu, Yingyi Lu, Lihong Su, Shaobo Cheng, Zhongqun He and Xiaoting Zhou
Horticulturae 2025, 11(5), 524; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11050524
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/5/524

10. “Growth and Floral Induction in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) Under Blue and Red LED Light and Their Alternation”
by Yao Hervé Yao, Banah Florent Degni, Pascal Dupuis, Laurent Canale, Arouna Khalil Fanny, Cissé Théodore Haba and Georges Zissis
Horticulturae 2025, 11(5), 548; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11050548
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/5/548

11. “Computational Fluid Dynamics-Based Simulation of Ventilation in a Zigzag Plastic Greenhouse”
by Yu Zhang, Weizhen Sun, Longpeng Jin, Hongbing Yang, Jian Wang and Sheng Shu
Horticulturae 2025, 11(2), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11020175
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/2/175

12. “The Combined Effect of Lighting and Zinc on the Nutritional Quality of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Grown in Hydroponics”
by Kristina Laužikė, Rūta Sutulienė, Viktorija Vaštakaitė-Kairienė and Aušra Brazaitytė
Horticulturae 2025, 11(3), 284; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11030284
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/3/284

13. “Effects of Salicylic Acid Application Method and Concentration on the Growth and Ornamental Quality of Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.)”
by Alessandro Esposito, Alessandro Miceli, Filippo Vetrano, Samantha Campo and Alessandra Moncada
Horticulturae 2025, 11(8), 904; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11080904
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/8/904

14. “Effects of Light Conditions on the Leaf Growth and Steviol Glycoside Yields of Hydroponically Cultivated Stevia Across Growth Stages”
by Cheng-Tai Chou, Vivian Christabel, Mai Anh Le, Min-Lang Tsai and Shang-Ta Wang
Horticulturae 2025, 11(3), 316; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11030316
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/3/316

15. “Economic Viability of Organic Fertilizers to Improve Growth, Yield, and Quality of Pineapples in Africa: A Review”
by Zandile Nkolisa, Babalwa Mpambani, Nangamso Mtamzeli-Cekiso and Khayelihle Ncama
Horticulturae 2025, 11(6), 636; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11060636
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/6/636

16. “Characterization of Genetic Diversity of Mulberry (Morus alba) Genotypes Growing Naturally in Northeastern Türkiye (Kelkit Valley) Using Morphological, Biochemical, and Molecular Markers”
by Ahmet Sümbül
Horticulturae 2025, 11(3), 298; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11030298
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/3/298