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Horticulturae
Special Issues
Investigation of Environmental Stress Tolerance and Physiology in Horticultural Crops
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Investigation of Environmental Stress Tolerance and Physiology in Horticultural Crops

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Biotic and Abiotic Stress".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 5321

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Qingming Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China
Interests: cucumber; drought stress; photobiology; CO2 enrichment
Prof. Dr. Yansu Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Interests: vegetables and environment; microorganisms and vegetables; low-temperature response; low-light response; leaf fertilizer; increasing production technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Dalong Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department College of Horticultural Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an 271018, China
Interests: irrigation; photosynthesis; water use efficiency; environmental control

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental stress is one of the major limiting factors for horticultural crops productivity worldwide. Crops are closely associated with the environment where they grow, and adapt to the varying conditions brought about by the environmental factors resulting in abiotic stress. Abiotic factors or stressors include high or low temperature, drought, flooding, salinity, mineral nutrient deficiency, radiation, gaseous pollutants, and heavy metals. Among these, drought stress is the most common, which alters molecular and morphological parameters in crops and thus has detrimental effects due to environmental injury and physico-chemical disturbances. The negative impact of drought stress is the alteration in the plant metabolism, growth, and development and, in severe cases, crop death. Thus, understanding drought stress physiology will help in achieving the long-term goal of horticultural crop improvement, therefore minimizing the loss in crop yield to cope with increasing food requirements. Effective crop water management methods will provide best management practices to combat drought conditions for sustainable horticultural production.

In this Special Issue, we welcome the submission of original research papers, reviews, mini reviews, methods, opinions, and perspective articles on topics related to “Investigation of Environmental Stress Tolerance and Physiology in Horticultural Crops”, including but not limited to growth and development, stress physiology, gene expression, multi-omics, biosynthesis of metabolites and antioxidants, nutritional quality and water-saving crop management methods, etc. of fruits, vegetables, and fresh flowers under environmental stress.

Prof. Dr. Qingming Li
Prof. Dr. Yansu Li
Dr. Dalong 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

  • drought stress
  • irrigation
  • fertigation
  • horticultural production
  • crop water management

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 1266 KiB  
Article
The Optimum Substrate Moisture Level to Enhance the Growth and Quality of Arugula (Eruca sativa)
by Kiram Lee, Seong Kwang An, Kang-Mo Ku and Jongyun Kim
Horticulturae 2024, 10(5), 483; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10050483 - 8 May 2024
Viewed by 357
Abstract
Arugula (Eruca sativa Mill.) is a nutritious vegetable, commonly used in salads, known for its high glucosinolate content and various health benefits and flavors. However, arugulas may contain -excessive nitrate levels, potentially harmful to human health. We aimed to examine the effect [...] Read more.
Arugula (Eruca sativa Mill.) is a nutritious vegetable, commonly used in salads, known for its high glucosinolate content and various health benefits and flavors. However, arugulas may contain -excessive nitrate levels, potentially harmful to human health. We aimed to examine the effect of substrate moisture levels on the growth and quality of arugula under controlled irrigation conditions to investigate a proper irrigation practice for the quality production of arugula. The plants were cultivated using a sensor-based automated irrigation system to maintain the substrate volumetric water content (VWC) levels at 0.20, 0.30, 0.40, and 0.50 m3·m−3 over three weeks (vegetative stage). The treatment with VWC of 0.20 m3·m−3 resulted in reduced shoot growth, primarily attributed to drought-induced constraints on leaf expansion. Despite the initial reductions in stomatal conductance in arugulas subjected to lower VWC treatments, they eventually recovered and exhibited similar stomatal conductance levels across all VWC treatments 15 days after treatment, indicating acclimation to drought stress. The VWC treatment did not affect the nitrate and total glucosinolate contents of arugula, except for a decrease in glucoerucin content observed in the lowest VWC treatment. Maintaining a VWC level at 0.20 m3·m−3 could impair both the growth and quality of arugula due to severe drought conditions. Alternatively, maintaining the VWC at 0.30 m3·m−3 would ensure a high water use efficiency while securing the growth and quality of arugula. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Investigation of Environmental Stress Tolerance and Physiology in Horticultural Crops)
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27 pages, 17664 KiB  
Article
Xylem Hydraulic Conductance Role in Kiwifruit Decline Syndrome Occurrence
by Claudio Mandalà, Stefano Monaco, Luca Nari, Chiara Morone, Francesco Palazzi, Grazia Federica Bencresciuto and Laura Bardi
Horticulturae 2024, 10(4), 392; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10040392 - 11 Apr 2024
Viewed by 763
Abstract
Kiwifruit decline syndrome (KiDS) has affected kiwifruit orchards for more than ten years in the Mediterranean area, severely compromising productivity and causing extensive uprooting. The affected plants go through an irreversible and fast wilting process. The problem has not been solved yet, and [...] Read more.
Kiwifruit decline syndrome (KiDS) has affected kiwifruit orchards for more than ten years in the Mediterranean area, severely compromising productivity and causing extensive uprooting. The affected plants go through an irreversible and fast wilting process. The problem has not been solved yet, and a single cause has not been identified. In this work, we carried out a survey on ten five-year-old healthy kiwifruit cv. Hayward plants cultivated in an area strongly affected by KiDS and characterised by a rising temperature and vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Five plants were located in a KiDS-affected orchard. Our goal was to assess the hydraulic conductance of asymptomatic plants in a KiDS-affected area where rising climate change stress is underway. Our hypothesis was that a rising temperature and VPD could impair xylem functionality, leading the plants to develop strategies of tolerance, such as vessel narrowing, or stress symptoms, such as cavitation or implosion, inducing a higher risk of KiDS onset. Hydraulic conductance was investigated using a physiological and morphological approach to detect trunk sap flow, trunk growth and daily diameter variations, leaf gas exchanges and temperature, stem water potential, and the root xylem vessel diameter and vulnerability to cavitation. A strong xylem vessel narrowing was observed in all plants, with the highest frequency in the 30–45 µm diameter class, which is an indicator of long-term adaptation to a rising VPD. In some plants, cavitation and implosion were also observed, which are indicative of a short-term stress response; this behaviour was detected in the plants in the KiDS-affected orchard, where a high leaf temperature (>39 °C), low stomatal conductance (<0.20 mol H2O m−2 s−1) and transpiration (<3 mmol H2O m−2 s−1), low stem water potential (<−1 MPa), high vulnerability to cavitation (3.7 μm mm−2), low trunk sap flow and high daily stem diameter variation confirmed the water stress status. The concurrence of climate stress and agronomic management in predisposing conditions favourable to KiDS onset are discussed, evidencing the role of soil preparation, propagation material and previous crop. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Investigation of Environmental Stress Tolerance and Physiology in Horticultural Crops)
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13 pages, 1032 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Effect of Plant Biostimulants and Nutrient-Rich Foliar Sprays on Walnut Nucleolar Activity and Protein Content (Juglans regia L.)
by João Roque, Ana Carvalho, Manuel Ângelo Rodrigues, Carlos M. Correia and José Lima-Brito
Horticulturae 2024, 10(4), 314; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10040314 - 24 Mar 2024
Viewed by 705
Abstract
The cultivation of walnuts (Juglans regia L.) has become increasingly popular worldwide due to the nutritional value of the nuts. Plant biostimulants (PBs) and nutrient-rich products have been increasingly used in agriculture to improve yield, quality, and abiotic stress tolerance. However, farmers [...] Read more.
The cultivation of walnuts (Juglans regia L.) has become increasingly popular worldwide due to the nutritional value of the nuts. Plant biostimulants (PBs) and nutrient-rich products have been increasingly used in agriculture to improve yield, quality, and abiotic stress tolerance. However, farmers need fast laboratory studies to determine the most suitable treatment per crop or ecosystem to take full advantage of these products. Evaluating nucleolar activity and protein content can provide clues about the most appropriate treatment. This study aimed to determine how five commercial products, four PBs based on seaweed extract and/or free amino acids and one boron-enriched fertiliser used as foliar sprays, affect walnut cv’s nucleolar activity and protein content. “Franquette” from an orchard located in NE Portugal was compared to untreated (control) plants. All treatments brought a low leaf mitotic index. The control showed the smallest nucleolar area, highest protein content, and highest frequency of nucleolar irregularities. Fitoalgas Green®, Sprint Plus®, and Tradebor® showed the highest nucleolar area and lowest frequencies of nucleolar irregularities. The recruitment of proteins/enzymes for response against abiotic stresses may explain the high protein content in the control. Hence, the enhanced abiotic stress tolerance of the treated trees explains their lower protein content and frequency of nucleolar anomalies. Globally, the Fitoalgas Green®, Sprint Plus®, and Tradebor® seem better suited for “Franquette” walnut trees under the edaphoclimatic conditions where trials were conducted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Investigation of Environmental Stress Tolerance and Physiology in Horticultural Crops)
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17 pages, 2615 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Drought Tolerance and Fruit Characteristics in Tomato through Exogenous Melatonin Application
by Qian Huang, Haijing Yan, Mingyuan You, Jinye Duan, Manling Chen, Yingjin Xing, Xiaohui Hu and Xiaojing Li
Horticulturae 2023, 9(10), 1083; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9101083 - 27 Sep 2023
Viewed by 948
Abstract
Drought stress not only affects the growth and development of tomato seedlings but also leads to a significant decrease in tomato fruit yield. Previous studies have shown that melatonin plays a crucial role in regulating plant tolerance to drought stress. The present study [...] Read more.
Drought stress not only affects the growth and development of tomato seedlings but also leads to a significant decrease in tomato fruit yield. Previous studies have shown that melatonin plays a crucial role in regulating plant tolerance to drought stress. The present study was conducted to investigate the impact of exogenous melatonin on the growth and development of tomato seedlings under drought stress, as well as its potential in improving fruit yield and quality. Our findings demonstrate that drought stress strongly suppressed growth and biomass accumulation, reduced photosynthetic pigments, and inhibited photosynthesis. Conversely, melatonin treatment led to a notable increase in plant height, stem diameter, aboveground biomass, and relative water content of tomato seedlings by 16.67%, 7.39%, 10.58%, and 13.31%, respectively, compared to the drought treatment. Moreover, the chlorophyll content increased by 40.51%, and the net photosynthetic rate increased by 1.2 times. Furthermore, the application of melatonin under drought stress resulted in a decrease in osmoregulation substances, reduced accumulation of reactive oxygen species, and enhanced activity of antioxidant enzymes in tomato seedlings. Exogenous melatonin was also found to inhibit the expression of abscisic-acid-synthesis-related genes, resulting in a reduction in the abscisic acid content in tomato seedlings. Additionally, it significantly increased the root length, root surface area, and root vitality of the plants. When compared to drought treatment, tomato plants treated with melatonin exhibited a 61.92% increase in average yield and a 37.79% increase in fruit weight per plant. Furthermore, the organic acid content decreased by 23.77%, while soluble solids and sugars increased by 15.07% and 35.49%, respectively. These findings suggest that exogenous melatonin effectively alleviates the inhibition of photosynthesis and growth in tomato seedlings under drought stress. It achieves this by regulating the content of osmotic stress substances and the activity of antioxidant enzymes, thus enhancing the resistance of tomato seedlings to drought stress. Moreover, melatonin regulates root growth by mediating the biosynthesis of endogenous ABA, thereby improving the absorption and utilization efficiency of water and nutrients in plants. Consequently, it enhances tomato fruit yield and quality under drought stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Investigation of Environmental Stress Tolerance and Physiology in Horticultural Crops)
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18 pages, 5705 KiB  
Article
The Beneficial Roles of Elevated [CO2] on Exogenous ABA-Enhanced Drought Tolerance of Cucumber Seedlings
by Qiying Sun, Xinrui He, Tengqi Wang, Hengshan Qin, Xin Yuan, Yunke Chen, Zhonghua Bian and Qingming Li
Horticulturae 2023, 9(4), 421; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9040421 - 24 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1480
Abstract
Drought stress severely limits crop growth and yield. With the atmospheric CO2 constantly increasing, plants will be affected by multiple effects of drought and increased CO2 in the future. Abscisic acid (ABA) plays vital roles in plant stress tolerance, especially drought [...] Read more.
Drought stress severely limits crop growth and yield. With the atmospheric CO2 constantly increasing, plants will be affected by multiple effects of drought and increased CO2 in the future. Abscisic acid (ABA) plays vital roles in plant stress tolerance, especially drought stress. However, little is known about the effects of elevated CO2 concentration (e[CO2]) and exogenous ABA in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) response to drought stress. In the present study, we investigated the effects of e[CO2] and exogenous ABA on the drought tolerance of cucumber seedlings under the simulated drought stress induced by 5% polyethylene glycol 6000. The experiment was a split-plot design, in which the main factor was CO2 concentrations; atmospheric and elevated CO2 concentrations (~400 and 800 ± 40 μmol mol−1, respectively). The subplot factor was the combinations of exogenous ABA and its synthesis inhibitor sodium tungstate (Na2WO4); deionized water (control), 20 μM ABA, 2 mM Na2WO4, and 2 mM Na2WO4 + 20 μM ABA, which were applied to plant leaves. The results showed that compared with exogenous ABA application only, e[CO2] combined with exogenous ABA significantly increased the biomass, chlorophyll content, and net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of cucumber seedlings under drought stress. Meanwhile, e[CO2] and exogenous ABA were more efficient in reducing the contents of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, promoting the accumulation of proline, soluble sugar, soluble protein, free amino acid, ascorbic acid, and glutathione. The ratios of ascorbic acid/dehydroascorbic acid (ASA/DHA), glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG), as well as the activities of antioxidant enzymes were increased. In conclusion, e[CO2] and exogenous ABA synergistically alleviated oxidative damage of drought stress on cucumber seedlings by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities and accelerating the ASA–GSH cycle in cucumber seedlings, which in turn improved the drought tolerance of cucumber seedlings, and provided theoretical and practical support for further studies on the alleviation of drought stress in protected horticulture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Investigation of Environmental Stress Tolerance and Physiology in Horticultural Crops)
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