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Agronomy
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Impact of Climate Variability on Horticultural Plant Growth and the...
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Impact of Climate Variability on Horticultural Plant Growth and the Development of Agriculture

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Horticultural and Floricultural Crops".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 June 2026 | Viewed by 3375

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Sina Cosmulescu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Horticulture & Food Science, Faculty of Horticulture, University of Craiova, 200585 Craiova, Romania
Interests: horticulture; fruit species; ecology; biodiversity; climate change impact and phenology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate variability, manifested by changes in temperature, precipitation, extreme events and droughts, has a significant impact on the growth of horticultural plants and on agriculture in general. Horticultural plants are sensitive to climate change, and fluctuations in temperature and precipitation can negatively influence their development, production yield and fruit quality. In this context, agriculture must adapt by using advanced techniques such as smart irrigation, selection of heat-drought-resistant varieties and sustainable resource management practices. Thus, the development of agriculture depends on the ability of farmers to integrate innovative solutions that mitigate the effects of climate variability, ensuring a sustainable and competitive production in the face of climate change. The purpose of this Special Issue is to contribute to the dissemination of new knowledge and results related to the effect of climatic factors on the phenological, morphological, physiological and biochemical properties of horticultural crops. Adaptation and resilience are essential to maintain global food security and protect agricultural biodiversity.

Prof. Dr. Sina Cosmulescu
Guest Editor

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 semimonthly 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

  • climate variability
  • adaptation and resilience
  • morphological physiology
  • biochemical characteristics
  • phenology
  • horticultural crops

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 5995 KB  
Article
Assessment of Future Water Stress of Winter Wheat and Olive Trees in Greece Using High-Resolution Climate Model Projections
by Angeliki Elvanidi, Persefoni Maletsika, Nikolaos Katsoulas, Giorgos Papadopoulos, Dimitrios Melas, Kostas Douvis, Ioannis Faraslis, Stavros Keppas, Ioannis Stergiou, Anastasia Poupkou, Dimitrios Voloudakis, John Kapsomenakis and Dimitris K. Papanastasiou
Agronomy 2026, 16(1), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16010035 - 22 Dec 2025
Viewed by 667
Abstract
Climate change is expected to increasingly intensify the water stress that directly impacts crop productivity in the near future. This study integrates the crop water stress index (CWSI) with high-resolution regional climate simulations produced by the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model to [...] Read more.
Climate change is expected to increasingly intensify the water stress that directly impacts crop productivity in the near future. This study integrates the crop water stress index (CWSI) with high-resolution regional climate simulations produced by the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model to evaluate water stress that winter wheat and olive trees will potentially experience in Greece in the future. Decadal, high-resolution climate simulations were generated for both the present and near-future periods using the most recent shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP) framework. A bias-corrected dataset based on 18 models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 6 was used for boundary conditions to mitigate errors associated with individual global model biases. Projections indicated a mean air temperature increase of 1.1–1.7 °C and a relative humidity decrease of up to 3.5%. Mean CWSI increases of up to 6% and 4% were projected in most of the country for winter wheat and olive trees, respectively. The water stress of the winter wheat was also assessed over the three growing stages defined by the FAO. The analysis showed that water stress may occur during all growing stages, inducing potential impacts on tillering, photosynthetic efficiency, biomass accumulation, or yield. Additionally, a water stress threshold (i.e., CWSI > 0.5) was applied for both species in order to carry out a spatial assessment of the water stress that is projected to occur in the future in key winter wheat-, olive oil- and table olive-producing Greek regions. The findings of this study can support the irrigation scheduling and the development of climate-resilient agricultural practices in Greece. The modeling framework that was established in this study can also be applied to other crops and regions in the Mediterranean. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Variability on Horticultural Plant Growth and the Development of Agriculture)
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12 pages, 1384 KB  
Article
Candidate Gene Variants Linked to Brown Rot Susceptibility in the European Plum Genome
by Raminta Antanynienė, Monika Kurgonaitė, Vidmantas Bendokas and Birutė Frercks
Agronomy 2025, 15(7), 1562; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15071562 - 26 Jun 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1175
Abstract
European plum (Prunus domestica) is among the most important stone fruits cultivated worldwide. However, its production is significantly affected by fungal brown rot disease, caused by Monilinia spp. pathogens, which threaten the crop throughout the entire vegetation period. This study aimed [...] Read more.
European plum (Prunus domestica) is among the most important stone fruits cultivated worldwide. However, its production is significantly affected by fungal brown rot disease, caused by Monilinia spp. pathogens, which threaten the crop throughout the entire vegetation period. This study aimed to visually assess brown rot resistance and susceptibility in European plum and to perform whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of selected cultivars and hybrids grown in Lithuania, with the goal of identifying candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with disease response. WGS was performed for 20 European plum cultivars and hybrids with known resistance or susceptibility profiles, generating over 1,4 million SNPs. These SNPs were filtered to identify genetic variants associated with brown rot disease. Three candidate SNPs were found to be significantly associated with disease response (located on chromosomes G5 and G8) and one linked to susceptibility (on chromosome G5). Identified SNPs were located in genes encoding alcohol dehydrogenase family enzymes (resistant cultivars, G5 chromosome) and beta-glucosidase family enzymes (variants found in both resistant and susceptible cultivars, G5 chromosome), which are important for plant biotic stress response. The findings of this study provide a valuable foundation for the development of molecular markers for identifying resistant and susceptible cultivars and may inform future European plum breeding programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Variability on Horticultural Plant Growth and the Development of Agriculture)
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Review

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18 pages, 921 KB  
Review
Climate Change and Abiotic Stress in Fruit Trees: Mechanisms and Adaptive Responses
by Sina Cosmulescu
Agronomy 2026, 16(6), 665; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16060665 - 21 Mar 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 590
Abstract
This paper analyses the impact of climate change on fruit species, synthesizing evidence of how abiotic stresses—such as extreme temperatures, drought, salinity, and water fluctuations—influence the physiology, metabolism, phenology, and productivity of fruit trees. It examines both direct effects on flowering, fruit set, [...] Read more.
This paper analyses the impact of climate change on fruit species, synthesizing evidence of how abiotic stresses—such as extreme temperatures, drought, salinity, and water fluctuations—influence the physiology, metabolism, phenology, and productivity of fruit trees. It examines both direct effects on flowering, fruit set, growth, and quality, as well as indirect impacts on nutrient availability, soil health, and vulnerability to pests and diseases. The article highlights the role of hormones and secondary metabolites in mediating stress responses, alongside the critical importance of cellular and antioxidant protection mechanisms. Adaptive strategies across physiological, biochemical, molecular, and agronomic levels are discussed, including the selection of tolerant varieties and rootstocks, irrigation adjustments, microclimatic management, and the use of biotechnological approaches and biostimulants to enhance fruit resilience and quality. In conclusion, the article underscores the necessity of an integrated approach to ensure the sustainability and productivity of orchards in the face of climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Variability on Horticultural Plant Growth and the Development of Agriculture)
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