Molecular Regulation of Plant Secondary Metabolite Biosynthesis on Horticultural Crops

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Developmental Physiology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 45

Special Issue Editors

Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhangzhou 363005, China
Interests: fruit; food; quality;

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Guest Editor
School of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
Interests: food; nutritional quality; macromolecules

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Guest Editor
College of Enology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Interests: grape; quality; vine
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The molecular regulation of plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis is a pivotal research area for improving horticultural crops. This field focuses on elucidating the genes, transcription factors, and enzymatic pathways that govern the production of natural compounds such as antioxidants, pigments, and volatiles. In crops like fruits, vegetables, flowers, and tea, these metabolites are crucial because they determine key quality traits, including color, flavor, aroma, and nutritional value. Furthermore, they play a vital role in influencing postharvest shelf life and resilience of produce. By uncovering these molecular mechanisms, researchers can develop targeted strategies to enhance the health benefits, sensory appeal, and longevity of horticultural products—ultimately contributing to their higher-quality and more sustainable food for consumers.

Dr. Xudong Zhu
Dr. Meng Ma
Dr. Kekun Zhang
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. Horticulturae 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 2200 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

  • fruit
  • vegetable
  • ornamental plants
  • tea
  • genomics
  • transcriptomics
  • metabolomics
  • secondary metabolites
  • phenolics
  • terpenoids
  • transcription factor

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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