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Agronomy
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Cultivation Advances and Agronomic Approaches to Enhance the Phytochemical, Nutraceutical,...
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Cultivation Advances and Agronomic Approaches to Enhance the Phytochemical, Nutraceutical, and Pharmacological Value of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 1810

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ekaterina-Michaela Tomou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Section of Pharmacognosy & Chemistry of Natural Products, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece
Interests: pharmacognosy; natural products chemistry; natural extracts characterization; profiling; bioactivity; metabolomics; isolation; ethnopharmacology; food chemistry; molecular networking; cosmetics
Dr. Antonios Chrysargyris

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol 3036, Cyprus
Interests: aromatic plants and vegetable cultivation; development of strategies for plant nutrition and response to abiotic stress; soil-less culture; substrates and hydroponics; postharvest storage and processing of medicinal and aromatic plants; essential oil analysis and biocidal activity; evaluation of natural products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) have been used for centuries for their therapeutic and health-promoting properties. MAPs are now cultivated more intensively to meet growing demand across pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. Research in recent decades has shown that cultivation methods, environmental conditions, and post-harvest practices significantly influence the production of bioactive compounds. This has shifted focus toward optimizing agronomic strategies to enhance the phytochemical and pharmacological value of MAPs. This Special Issue aims to explore how cultivation techniques, genetic resources, and environmental interventions impact the phytochemical profile, nutraceutical content and pharmacological properties of MAPs. Omics technologies and metabolic profiling are increasingly used to uncover the complex networks underlying plant biosynthesis. Additionally, interdisciplinary approaches reveal how cultivation parameters impact not only plant health but also the therapeutic potential of their extracts.

We welcome submissions on the following topics:

  • Cultivation and agronomic practices to enhance phytochemical content and pharmacological activities.
  • Mineral application and effects on secondary metabolites.
  • Effects of growing conditions on phytochemical or nutraceutical content.
  • Metabolomics and omics technologies in MAP research.
  • Post-harvest and processing impacts on phytochemical or nutraceutical content.
  • Climate-resilient and stress-adapted cultivation strategies.
  • Sustainable or organic systems for high-value MAPs.
  • Effect of cultivation on plant extract quality and biological properties.

Dr. Ekaterina-Michaela Tomou
Dr. Antonios Chrysargyris
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

  • secondary metabolites
  • specialized natural products
  • metabolomics
  • bioactive compounds
  • pharmacological activities
  • climate change
  • nutritional value
  • innovative cultivation practices
  • soil/soilless cultures
  • hydroponics

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

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 790 KB  
Article
Biochar Improves Soil Fertility in Sandy Nutrient-Poor Soil, While Wood Distillate Modulates Nutrient Dynamics and Plant Physiological Responses in Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Plants
by Giacomo Bianchini, Lorenzo D’Asaro, Costanza Ceccanti, Lucia Guidi and Roberto Cardelli
Agronomy 2026, 16(5), 498; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16050498 - 24 Feb 2026
Viewed by 581
Abstract
The progressive decline in fertility in nutrient-poor sandy soils has increased interest in soil conditioners that improve nutrient availability. Rising costs and the need to restore biological fertility have shifted attention towards fertilizers that not only enhance productivity but also improve soil biological [...] Read more.
The progressive decline in fertility in nutrient-poor sandy soils has increased interest in soil conditioners that improve nutrient availability. Rising costs and the need to restore biological fertility have shifted attention towards fertilizers that not only enhance productivity but also improve soil biological activity. This study aims to evaluate the effects of biochar (3% w/w; BC) and wood distillate (one irrigation intervention per week at 2% v/v; WD), applied individually or in combination (BC + WD), on a nutrient-poor soil, evaluating soil fertility and basil plant physiology and growth but also antioxidant responses in a pot experiment. Soil NPK content and enzymatic activity were assessed, while plant growth, macronutrient uptake, gas exchange, and antioxidant system responses were monitored after 28 and 56 days of treatment. BC treatment, followed by BC + WD treatment, increased soil P availability by 36% and 37%, respectively, after 56 days compared to untreated soil (CNT). A similar pattern was evidenced for the exchangeable K and pH of the soil. Although BC led to a reduction in soil enzymatic activity, the BC + WD treatment enhanced urease and acid phosphatase activity after 56 days by 26% and 7%, respectively, compared to CNT. Similarly, P uptake by plants was improved by BC + WD after 56 days, while potassium, K, uptake increased in both the BC and BC + WD treatments by 38% and 75% at the final sampling. BC or BC + WD resulted in improved photosynthesis and gas exchange, while WD influenced responses related to redox balance and antioxidant activity over time. Moreover, BC + WD slightly stimulated an increase in dehydroascorbate reductase (+52%), ascorbate peroxidase (+78%), and glutathione reductase (+41%) activity compared to CNT, enforcing the plant antioxidant system. Therefore, the positive antioxidant responses were primarily attributed to the use of BC rather than WD. Both BC and BC + WD proved to be effective and sustainable soil conditioners with beneficial effects on soil P and K availability, as well as certain enzymatic activities. For plants, the effects were more pronounced with BC treatment, showing antioxidant responses within the first 56 days. In general, BC improved soil fertility, and WD acted as a modulator of nutrient dynamics and plant physiological responses, especially when combined with BC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultivation Advances and Agronomic Approaches to Enhance the Phytochemical, Nutraceutical, and Pharmacological Value of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants)
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14 pages, 2722 KB  
Article
From Field to Lab: Exploring the Phytochemical Potential of Calabrian Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) Biowaste
by Adriano Patriarca, Marcella Saccoccio, Martina Bortolami, Chiara Toniolo, Giorgia Vicario, Ilaria Serafini, Antonio Attisani, Michele De Rosa, Mariangela Spagnoli, Daniela De Vita, Luca Santi and Fabio Sciubba
Agronomy 2026, 16(4), 485; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16040485 - 21 Feb 2026
Viewed by 795
Abstract
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is widely cultivated for the spice obtained from the stigmas, while the remaining floral biomass is discarded as biowaste. Accessing the phytochemical composition of these residues could enable their valorization as a low-cost and sustainable resource for nutraceutical [...] Read more.
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is widely cultivated for the spice obtained from the stigmas, while the remaining floral biomass is discarded as biowaste. Accessing the phytochemical composition of these residues could enable their valorization as a low-cost and sustainable resource for nutraceutical applications. In this context, a quantitative 1H NMR-based metabolite profiling approach, complemented by HPLC-DAD and LC-MS, was employed to comprehensively characterize saffron biowaste. A total of 40 metabolites were identified and quantified by NMR, including amino acids (611.1 ± 36.5 mg/100 g FW), carbohydrates (2801.4 ± 33.7 mg/100 g FW), lipids (702.7 ± 28.2 mg/100 g FW), and saffron-specific compounds such as crocin (596.6 ± 21.5 mg/100 g FW), picrocrocin (1126.3 ± 18.9 mg/100 g FW), safranal (398.4 ± 14.8 mg/100 g FW), and crocetin (13.4 ± 0.4 mg/100 g FW). Targeted fractionation further allowed the identification of kaempferol 3-O-sophoroside (15.44 ± 0.61% w/w in dry ethanolic extract) and 3-hydroxy-γ-butyrolactone. Overall, the results highlight the rich metabolite composition of saffron production waste and support its potential reuse as a valuable source of functional ingredients within a circular economy framework. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultivation Advances and Agronomic Approaches to Enhance the Phytochemical, Nutraceutical, and Pharmacological Value of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants)
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