The Influence of Pre-Harvest Factors on the Product Quality of Field Crops
A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Production".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 109819
Special Issue Editors
Interests: agronomy; biochemistry; nutraceuticals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: biodiversity; phytochemicals; organic agriculture; crop quality; agronomic management of field crops
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Satisfying the increasing number of consumer demands for the enhancement and stabilization of quality of produce is one of the most imperative challenges of modern agriculture. In this view, it is essential to remember that the product quality of field crops does not improve after harvest and, therefore, a deeper understanding of how to manipulate the pre-harvest factors with the aim to maintain and/or maximize the quality of produce going into storage is of crucial importance. The effects of pre-harvest factors on the ultimate quality of harvested products are often overlooked and underestimated, although a wide spectrum of pre-harvest factors, including environmental conditions and field management practices, directly or indirectly impacts the qualitative traits of field crops produce. Particularly seasonal climatic conditions, soil fertility, variety selection, fertilization, irrigation, pest control, and harvest time play a crucial role in determining post-harvest quality attributes (such as color, flavor, texture, and nutritional value of the harvested product), deterioration, and, subsequently, consumers’ decision to purchase the product in the marketplace.
This Special Issue focuses on the role of pre-harvest factors in determining the product quality of field crops, with a major emphasis on the best agronomic practices, and enabling tools for obtaining products with high and stable quality. This issue will lend to highly interdisciplinary studies embracing disciplines from agriculture and biology, to chemistry and human nutrition. All types of articles, such as original research, opinions, and reviews are welcome.
Dr. Sara Lombardo
Dr. Gaetano Pandino
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- Product quality
- Field crops
- Environment
- Soil characteristics
- Variety selection
- Fertilization
- Irrigation
- Pest management
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.