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Agronomy
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Progress and Innovations in Breeding Objectives and Technologies for Solanaceae...
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Progress and Innovations in Breeding Objectives and Technologies for Solanaceae Crops Production

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Breeding and Genetics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 5608

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Elizanilda Ramalho do Rêgo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center for Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Areia, 58397-000, PB, Brazil
Interests: pepper breeding; quantitative genetics; ornamental plants
Dr. Fernando Finger

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center for Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, Brazil
Interests: post-harvest; vegetable breeding; molecular biology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

During the growth of Solanaceae crops, environmental stress and invasion of pests and diseases seriously threaten fruit yield and quality. At the same time, restrictions on crop varieties such as potatoes, tomatoes, petunias, eggplants and peppers, as well as excessive pesticide spraying, have further hindered the development of solanaceous crops.

Thus, it is crucial to propose new breeding targets and select high-quality varieties in Solanaceae crops. The combination of "omics" technologies such as genomics and proteomics with modern sequencing technology has greatly helped in the discovery of high-quality genes in Solanaceae crops. In addition, as biotechnology and traditional breeding approaches are now being combined, new opportunities have opened up for the verification of gene function and the development of high-quality varieties.

This Special Issue aims to disseminate the latest advancements in breeding objectives and technologies for Solanaceae crops globally, encompassing a wide range of topics, including but not limited to Solanaceae crops, breeding objectives, breeding technology, fruit quality, high-quality genes, crop phenotype, and premium variety. Researchers are invited to submit original papers, communications and reviews highlighting their exploration of breeding targets in crops such as tomatoes and peppers, as well as the development of breeding technologies.

Dr. Elizanilda Ramalho do Rêgo
Dr. Fernando Finger
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. 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.

Keywords

  • solanaceae crops
  • breeding objectives
  • breeding technology
  • fruit quality
  • high-quality genes
  • crop phenotype
  • premium variety

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 6326 KiB  
Article
The Physiological Mechanism of Exogenous Melatonin Regulating Salt Tolerance in Eggplant Seedlings
by Yu Zhang, Li Jia, Han Wang, Haikun Jiang, Qiangqiang Ding, Dekun Yang, Congsheng Yan and Xiaomin Lu
Agronomy 2025, 15(2), 270; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15020270 - 22 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 780
Abstract
There is little study on melatonin’s ability to prevent salt damage in eggplants, despite the fact that it is a strong antioxidant in plants that has been found to help mitigate a variety of adverse challenges. In this study, we used “Anhui Eggplant [...] Read more.
There is little study on melatonin’s ability to prevent salt damage in eggplants, despite the fact that it is a strong antioxidant in plants that has been found to help mitigate a variety of adverse challenges. In this study, we used “Anhui Eggplant No.8” as the test material and simulated salt stress by irrigating the roots with 150 mmol·L NaCl solution. Subsequently, we treated the eggplants with different concentrations of exogenous melatonin (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 μmol·L) and assessed the plant traits and an array of physiological and biochemical indices following melatonin application to observe the impact of salt stress. Our study results indicate that exogenous melatonin at a concentration of 200 μmol·L can significantly alleviate the inhibition of eggplant photosynthesis under salt stress by increasing the content of chlorophyll in leaves and the activity of antioxidant enzymes. This leads to a notable increase in the levels of non-enzyme antioxidants and osmotic regulatory substances. As a result, the antioxidant capacity of the eggplants is enhanced, the degree of membrane lipid peroxidation is reduced, and the growth of eggplant seedlings under salt stress is effectively promoted, thereby strengthening the salt tolerance of eggplant seedlings. Fluorescence quantitative data analysis indicates that SmCAT4 is indeed a gene that positively regulates salt stress. However, in the SmPPO family, we did not find any genes that respond to salt stress. This research provides a theoretical foundation for improving the yield productivity and quality of eggplants under protected farming by clarifying the physiological mechanism by which melatonin controls the salt tolerance of eggplant seedlings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress and Innovations in Breeding Objectives and Technologies for Solanaceae Crops Production)
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11 pages, 485 KiB  
Article
Agromorphological Evaluation of Elite Lines of Native Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) from Central and Southern Mexico
by María Concepción Valencia-Juárez, Enrique González-Pérez, Salvador Villalobos-Reyes, Carlos Alberto Núñez-Colín, Jaime Canul-Ku, José Luis Anaya-López, Elizabeth Chiquito-Almanza and Ricardo Yáñez-López
Agronomy 2024, 14(12), 2829; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14122829 - 27 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1068
Abstract
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most important cultivated vegetables in the world. However, in some countries such as Mexico the lack of cultivars adapted to different environmental production conditions is a limitation. Moreover, recent studies have indicated that breeding [...] Read more.
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most important cultivated vegetables in the world. However, in some countries such as Mexico the lack of cultivars adapted to different environmental production conditions is a limitation. Moreover, recent studies have indicated that breeding aimed at increasing yield has led to a loss of genetic diversity. Therefore, it is necessary to explore and characterize new sources of germplasms. This study aimed to characterize new sources of germplasm and identify the most transcendental traits for distinguishing tomato types and lines that are useful for the genetic improvement of the species. Sixty characters were evaluated in 16 advanced lines of native tomatoes from Central and Southern Mexico during the fall–winter cycles 2023–2024 at the Bajío Experimental Station, Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico, based on the guidelines of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) and the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance and post hoc tests, canonical discriminant analysis, and the Eigenanalysis selection index method (ESIM). Morphological variation showed that five qualitative traits were determinant factors in distinguishing tomato types and lines, whereas agronomic discriminant traits were the equatorial and polar diameters of the fruit and its ratio, number of locules, pedicel length, stem length, and internode distance. In addition, significant positive correlations were found between leaf length and width, equatorial diameter of the fruit, and polar diameter of the fruit. Lines JCM-17, JMC-10, and JCM-01 were the most selectable lines according to the ESIM values. The morphological variation found and the characteristics with higher selection values identified may be valuable for optimizing the tomato genetic improvement process in general. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress and Innovations in Breeding Objectives and Technologies for Solanaceae Crops Production)
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16 pages, 486 KiB  
Article
Exploring Gene Action Underlying Post-Harvest Water Loss in Fresh Market Peppers
by Elizanilda Ramalho do Rêgo, Fernando Luiz Finger, Angela Maria dos Santos Pessoa, Anderson Rodrigo da Silva, Aristéa Alves Azevedo, Renata Maria Strozi Alves Meira, André Luiz Biscaia Ribeiro da Silva, Ruan dos Santos Silva and Mailson Monteiro do Rêgo
Agronomy 2024, 14(7), 1351; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14071351 - 22 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 985
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic effects involved in post-harvest water loss of C. baccatum fruits and to correlate fruit morphological characteristics. Fruits of eight landraces of C. baccatum and their twenty-eight hybrids were evaluated in a randomized, complete [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic effects involved in post-harvest water loss of C. baccatum fruits and to correlate fruit morphological characteristics. Fruits of eight landraces of C. baccatum and their twenty-eight hybrids were evaluated in a randomized, complete block design. Analysis of variance, diallel analysis, phenotypic and genotypic correlation, and path analysis for eight fruit traits were performed. Fruit width, fruit length, dry matter content, and fruit wall thickness were determined by additive gene effects. On the other hand, the non-additive effects played more important role than additive ones, including water loss, cuticle thickness, exocarp thickness, and total soluble solids. The relationship of fruit traits suggested that indirect selection can be carried out from field experiments under different environmental conditions. Overall, genitors 4, 24, 50, and 56 should be selected to form new populations to improve these traits. The Brazilian pepper landraces of C. baccatum species are a source of genetic variability for plant breeders, and the new segregating populations emerging through the crossing of pepper lines with reduced water loss should be developed, opening new ways for conventional breeding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress and Innovations in Breeding Objectives and Technologies for Solanaceae Crops Production)
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Review

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22 pages, 1537 KiB  
Review
Breeding of Solanaceous Crops Using AI: Machine Learning and Deep Learning Approaches—A Critical Review
by Maria Gerakari, Anastasios Katsileros, Konstantina Kleftogianni, Eleni Tani, Penelope J. Bebeli and Vasileios Papasotiropoulos
Agronomy 2025, 15(3), 757; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15030757 - 20 Mar 2025
Viewed by 946
Abstract
This review discusses the potential of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly machine learning (ML) and its subset, deep learning (DL), in advancing the genetic improvement of Solanaceous crops. AI has emerged as a powerful solution to overcome the limitations of traditional breeding techniques, which [...] Read more.
This review discusses the potential of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly machine learning (ML) and its subset, deep learning (DL), in advancing the genetic improvement of Solanaceous crops. AI has emerged as a powerful solution to overcome the limitations of traditional breeding techniques, which often involve time-consuming, resource-intensive processes with limited predictive accuracy. Through advanced algorithms and predictive models, ML and DL facilitate the identification and optimization of key traits, including higher yield, improved quality, pest resistance, and tolerance to extreme climatic conditions. By integrating big data analytics and omics, these methods enhance genomic selection (GS), support gene-editing technologies like CRISPR-Cas9, and accelerate crop breeding, thus enabling the development of resilient and adaptable crops. This review highlights the role of ML and DL in improving Solanaceae crops, such as tomato, potato, eggplant, and pepper, with the aim of developing novel varieties with superior agronomic and quality traits. Additionally, this study examines the advantages and limitations of AI-driven breeding compared to traditional methods in Solanaceae, emphasizing its contribution to agricultural resilience, food security, and environmental sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress and Innovations in Breeding Objectives and Technologies for Solanaceae Crops Production)
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23 pages, 692 KiB  
Review
Phytochelatins: Advances in Tomato Research
by Deyvid Novaes Marques, Salete Aparecida Gaziola, Fernando Angelo Piotto and Ricardo Antunes Azevedo
Agronomy 2025, 15(1), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15010080 - 30 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1151
Abstract
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), which is considered one of the more important and widely cultivated crop members of the family Solanaceae, exhibits numerous biochemical mechanisms to alleviate the stress produced by various biotic and abiotic factors. Many researchers have found that phytochelatins [...] Read more.
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), which is considered one of the more important and widely cultivated crop members of the family Solanaceae, exhibits numerous biochemical mechanisms to alleviate the stress produced by various biotic and abiotic factors. Many researchers have found that phytochelatins (PCs) play an important role in these stress-alleviating mechanisms and, therefore, contribute significantly to the plant’s coping strategies, particularly under heavy metal exposure. Ongoing research has extensively investigated tomato genotypes in plant stress research, with a particular focus on heavy metal stress. The production of PCs, synthesized from glutathione, is regulated by various factors and different stressors. Here, we aim to provide an overview of the panorama regarding the synthesis of PCs in tomato under different environmental conditions and experimental settings, as well as provide information on their broader roles in biotechnology and modulating plant tolerance and responses across diverse stress conditions and treatments within the context of tomato research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress and Innovations in Breeding Objectives and Technologies for Solanaceae Crops Production)
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