Advances in Fruit Development and Quality: Genetic, Environmental, and Agronomic Insights

Dear Colleagues,

Fruit development, quality, and coloration are complex traits influenced by environmental conditions, genetic factors, agronomic practices, or their synergistic interaction. As consumer demand for nutritious, visually appealing, and high-quality fruits continues to rise, uncovering the molecular, physiological, and practical cultivation mechanisms behind these traits has become a major focus in horticultural and agricultural research.

Environmental factors such as light, temperature, soil nutrients, tree physiology, and chemical treatments significantly affect fruit traits. Light, for instance, regulates pigment biosynthesis, directly influencing coloration, while stress conditions can modify sugar and acid metabolism, thereby affecting flavor and texture. Among these traits, fruit coloration is largely determined by pigment biosynthesis, governed by the anthocyanin and carotenoid pathways. Simultaneously, recent advances in genomics, transcriptomics, gene-editing technologies, and agronomic management have greatly enhanced our understanding of how genetics, environment, and cultivation practices interact. Key regulators—including transcription factors, hormone signaling cascades, epigenetic modifications, irrigation, fertilization, pruning, and other cultivation techniques—play pivotal roles in controlling fruit development, ripening, and quality.

This Special Issue invites researchers to submit original research articles, reviews, and case studies that investigate the genetic, environmental, and agronomic regulation of fruit traits. We particularly welcome contributions exploring molecular mechanisms, omics-based insights, gene-editing applications, and practical cultivation strategies across diverse fruit species. Our aim is to highlight innovative approaches for improving fruit quality and advancing sustainable fruit production.

Dr. Seonae Kim
Dr. Van Giap Do
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Agronomy 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.