Genes and Pathways for the Biosynthesis of Horticultural Crops Secondary Metabolites

Dear Colleagues,

Horticultural crops, particularly medicinal plants, are crucial sources of secondary metabolites (SMs). SMs not only serve as important regulators of plant growth, development, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses but also exhibit high bioactivities that are of great importance for human health. Our understanding of the biosynthesis of SMs is still limited due to the complex multi-step process and the diversity of metabolites. Thus, the identification of structural and regulatory genes of secondary metabolic pathways is an important and efficient way to better decode the secondary pathways of horticultural crops.

This Special Issue will cover all aspects involved in horticultural crops’ secondary metabolic biosynthesis, including studies on transcriptional regulation, enzyme genes, transporter genes, metabolic engineering, environmental factors, and development factors. These developments will facilitate the achievement of higher and stable production of nutrients and specific secondary metabolites in horticultural crops.

Dr. Meihong Sun
Dr. Qijun Ma
Guest Editors

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• horticultural crops
• biosynthesis pathways
• key enzyme genes
• secondary metabolites
• transcriptional factors
• abiotic elicitors
• biotic elicitors