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Agronomy
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Improving Nutritional and Functional Quality of Horticultural Crops Through Biofortification...
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Improving Nutritional and Functional Quality of Horticultural Crops Through Biofortification Approaches

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 1768

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rachele Tamburino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of BioEconomy (IBE), National Research Council (CNR), Via P. Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy
Interests: sustainable agriculture; food quality; horticultural crops and abiotic stress response; functional foods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Paolo Iovieno

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Florence, CNR IBBR (National Research Council Institute of Bioscience and BioResources), Polo Scientifico CNR, Via Madonna del Piano, 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy
Interests: molecular markers; horticultural crops and abiotic stress response; genome editing; biofortification; tree genetic population
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biofortification has become a key strategy for enhancing the nutritional and functional value of horticultural crops, contributing to food security, sustainability, and human health. While agronomic biofortification through the application of mineral fertilizers and biostimulants offers a practical method for improving micronutrient content and crop performance, conventional breeding and genome editing (e.g., CRISPR/Cas) are expanding opportunities to achieve more targeted and durable enhancements.

This Special Issue focuses on biofortification strategies which use either agronomic, genetic, biotechnological tools, or a combination thereof to improve yield, resilience and the accumulation of health-promoting compounds in horticultural crops. We welcome original research and reviews addressing nutrient dynamics, soil–plant interactions, genotype × environment × management (G × E × M) interactions, and innovative fertilization or genome-based techniques. Potential topics may include enhancement of micronutrients and phytochemicals, metabolic and transcriptional responses, improvement of postharvest quality, and contributions to the development of functional foods.

Interdisciplinary contributions that link plant nutrition, physiology, breeding, molecular biology, and food science are of particular interest. By highlighting both scientific advances and practical applications, this Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive view of current advances in biofortification and foster new insights for the development of nutrient-enriched horticultural crops adapted to future agricultural and nutritional challenges.

Dr. Rachele Tamburino
Dr. Paolo Iovieno
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 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

  • biofortification
  • food quality
  • food security
  • micronutrient enrichment
  • horticultural crops
  • CRISPR/Cas
  • sustainable agriculture

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 737 KB  
Article
Enhancing Olive Oil Functional Properties by Pre-Harvest Foliar Application of Chitosan and Harpin Elicitors on ‘Megaritiki’ Olive Cultivar Grown Under Rainfed Conditions in Greece
by Asimina-Georgia Karyda, Georgios Roubis, Stefania Komninou, Aikaterini Mpelimpasaki, Maria Zoti and Petros Anargyrou Roussos
Agronomy 2026, 16(8), 788; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16080788 - 11 Apr 2026
Viewed by 792
Abstract
Climate change-induced abiotic stress, particularly heat and drought during olive oil accumulation, significantly threatens the productivity and oil quality of olive trees (Olea europaea L.). This study investigated the efficacy of pre-harvest elicitation using the biostimulants harpin and chitosan (both as commercially [...] Read more.
Climate change-induced abiotic stress, particularly heat and drought during olive oil accumulation, significantly threatens the productivity and oil quality of olive trees (Olea europaea L.). This study investigated the efficacy of pre-harvest elicitation using the biostimulants harpin and chitosan (both as commercially available products) under summer conditions in Greece, in commercially productive rainfed groves of cv. ‘Megaritiki’. Multivariate analysis (PCA and factor analysis) revealed that pre-harvest application of these elicitors successfully balanced the trade-off between oil yield and quality. Both harpin and chitosan maintained hydrolytic (free acidity—0.25 and 0.29 g oleic acid 100 g−1, respectively, compared to 0.56 g oleic acid 100 g−1 in the control) and primary oxidative markers (peroxides—4.16 and 4.16 meq O2 kg−1, respectively, compared to 5.20 meq O2 kg−1 in the control) at exceptionally low levels compared to untreated trees. The treatments induced a distinctive metabolic shift regarding volatile compounds governed by the lipoxygenase (LOX) pathway. Harpin application was strongly associated with complex floral and fruity volatile compounds (2-hexen-1-ol and trans-2-hexenal) and a high α-tocopherol concentration (38.58 mg kg−1 compared to 23.12 mg kg−1 in the control), suggesting an enhanced physiological response in favor of oil quality attributes. Conversely, chitosan elevated the oxidative stability of the oil by increasing total phenol concentration (by almost 97% compared to the control) and prioritizing the accumulation of the stable monounsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid—increased by 12.5% compared to the control) over polyunsaturated ones (linoleic acid), while endowing the oil with desirable “green freshness” aromas (cis-3-hexenal). These results demonstrate that elicitation with harpin and chitosan is a potent tool for sustainably enhancing extra virgin olive oil quality under rainfed conditions in Greece, steering fruit metabolism toward a premium nutraceutical and sensory profile and enhancing the functional properties of the oil (phenol content, antioxidant capacity, monounsaturated fatty acids, α-tocopherol and squalene). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Nutritional and Functional Quality of Horticultural Crops Through Biofortification Approaches)
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15 pages, 2115 KB  
Article
Calcium and Selenium Synergistically Decrease Cadmium Content in Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) by Modulating Key Genes Involved in Cadmium Absorption and Translocation
by Yan Hu, Hua Yang, Xingwang Chen, Jie Li, Jian Long, Sen Li and Xiongfei Cai
Agronomy 2026, 16(2), 265; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16020265 - 22 Jan 2026
Viewed by 656
Abstract
Calcium (Ca) and selenium (Se) are garnering growing interest because of their capacity to boost crop yields and minimize cadmium (Cd) concentration within edible parts. However, whether Ca and Se can synergistically inhibit Cd accumulation in crops and its mechanism remains poorly understood. [...] Read more.
Calcium (Ca) and selenium (Se) are garnering growing interest because of their capacity to boost crop yields and minimize cadmium (Cd) concentration within edible parts. However, whether Ca and Se can synergistically inhibit Cd accumulation in crops and its mechanism remains poorly understood. A hydroponic experiment was conducted under Cd exposure with the combined supplementation of Ca and Se, specifically focused on Cd accumulation and its mechanism. The results revealed that Ca and Se synergistically enhanced growth and photosynthetic content, whereas they inhibited Cd accumulation in the roots, stems, and leaves of peppers. Ca and Se also synergistically reduced the content of Cd in the cell wall, organelle fraction, and soluble fraction of the roots, as well as in pectin, hemicellulose I, hemicellulose II, and cellulose. Ca and Se supplementation synergistically downregulated the expression levels of CaNramp1, CaNramp5, CaHMA1, and CaHMA2. These results revealed that Ca and Se synergistically reduced Cd accumulation in peppers by modulating targeted gene downregulation involved in Cd absorption and translocation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Nutritional and Functional Quality of Horticultural Crops Through Biofortification Approaches)
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