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Horticulturae
Special Issues
Innovative Breeding Technology for Citrus
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Innovative Breeding Technology for Citrus

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Fruit Production Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 June 2026 | Viewed by 2474

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lara Poles

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Di3A), University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Interests: citrus; explant; orange
Prof. Dr. Stefano La Malfa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Via Valdisavoia 5, 95123 Catania, Italy
Interests: breeding; germplasm characterization; minor fruit tree species; citrus; molecular characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chiara Catalano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 100, 95123 Catania, Italy
Interests: QTLs; biotic stress; molecular markers; germplasm; phenotyping
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Citrus crops are among the most economically significant fruit trees globally, valued for their nutritional, medicinal, and industrial importance. However, challenges such as climate change, emerging diseases, declining fruit quality, and reduced genetic diversity have underscored the need for more efficient and sustainable breeding strategies. This Special Issue focuses on the latest advancements in citrus breeding technologies aimed at overcoming these challenges. We invite research and review articles that explore innovative tools and methodologies including, but not limited to, genomic selection, marker-assisted breeding, genome editing (e.g., CRISPR/Cas systems), speed breeding, and biotechnological approaches for trait improvement. The integration of omics technologies (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) with traditional breeding methods is also a key area of interest, as it offers deeper insights into trait inheritance and accelerates the development of superior citrus varieties. This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive platform for sharing breakthroughs that enhance disease resistance, abiotic stress tolerance, fruit quality, and overall yield. By bringing together experts in citrus genetics, biotechnology, and breeding, we seek to promote collaborative innovations that will shape the future of citrus cultivation and ensure its sustainability in a rapidly changing world.

Dr. Lara Poles
Prof. Dr. Stefano La Malfa
Dr. Chiara Catalano
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. 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

  • citrus breeding
  • genome editing
  • marker-assisted selection
  • genomic selection
  • CRISPR/Cas
  • biotechnology
  • omics technologies
  • disease resistance
  • stress tolerance
  • fruit quality improvement

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 969 KB  
Article
The First Exploration of the Genetic Richness of an Ancient Algerian Citrus Collection Using Molecular Markers
by Siham Amri, Rima Hind Boudchicha, Sakina Bechkri, Fethia Zadri, Seloua Bellara, Ali Boumegoura and Douadi Khelifi
Horticulturae 2026, 12(5), 534; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12050534 - 28 Apr 2026
Viewed by 801
Abstract
This study presents a genetic characterization and population structure analysis of an ancient Algerian collection of Citrus fruits, dating back to the colonial period of the early 1900s. Genetic diversity was assessed using eight Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers, with the objective of [...] Read more.
This study presents a genetic characterization and population structure analysis of an ancient Algerian collection of Citrus fruits, dating back to the colonial period of the early 1900s. Genetic diversity was assessed using eight Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers, with the objective of accurately identifying their varieties and elucidating their genetic relationships, particularly in the absence of passport data and documented origins. A total of 96 accessions were analyzed. Instances of homonymy, synonymy, and labeling errors were detected. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.451 to 0.715, with a mean value of 0.54, while polymorphic information content (PIC) values varied between 0.225 (CCSM18) and 0.635 (TAA41). The genetic relationship patterns among the different Citrus groups were consistent with their botanical classification. Structureanalysis suggested differentiation between the pomelo–orange cluster and the lemon group, as well as between the mandarin and clementine groups. These results suggest thatAlgerian Citrus germplasm may represent a valuable and relatively underexplored resource for breeding programs, highlighting the importance of its proper characterization and conservation to prevent genetic erosion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Breeding Technology for Citrus)
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24 pages, 7601 KB  
Article
Molecular Regulation of Fruit Quality Traits in Citrus: RNA-Seq-Based Meta-Analysis
by Prasanth Tej Kumar Jagannadham, Anbazhagan Thirugnanavel, Tejaswini S. Parteki, Dedoas T. Meshram, Anoop Kumar Srivastava and Vasileios Ziogas
Horticulturae 2026, 12(4), 492; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12040492 - 17 Apr 2026
Viewed by 1187
Abstract
Citrus genomes as storehouses of genetic information of immense commercial utility remain untapped for the improvement of fruit quality traits and other production-related stresses. With the rapid expansion of transcriptomic datasets, integrative meta-analysis has further aided in uncovering interspecies molecular mechanisms associated with [...] Read more.
Citrus genomes as storehouses of genetic information of immense commercial utility remain untapped for the improvement of fruit quality traits and other production-related stresses. With the rapid expansion of transcriptomic datasets, integrative meta-analysis has further aided in uncovering interspecies molecular mechanisms associated with fruit quality development. In this study, we performed a cross-project RNA-Seq meta-analysis, integrating multiple publicly available BioProjects encompassing diverse citrus species, viz., Citrus sinensis, C. reticulata, C. maxima, C. clementina, C. japonica, and C. papeda, known to dominate the morphogenetic evolution of the citrus industry. High-throughput RNA-Seq data were processed using various bioinformatics tools. A total of 15 interspecies comparisons identified 676 unique DEGs, enriched in pathways related to secondary juice yield and processing quality traits. We also established that domestication aided in metabolism, oxidative stress responses, phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis, and hormone-mediated signaling. Multivariate analyses (PCA and heatmap visualization) highlighted distinct yet overlapping expression patterns across these citrus species. By combining differential expression, co-expression network analysis and QTL-GWAS integration, we identified 19 high-confidence candidate genes responsible for transcriptomic variation associated with measurable fruit quality traits. Genes such as LOC102612823 and LOC102607495, which co-localized with seed number QTLs on chromosome 1, represented strong candidates regulating reproductive development and seed formation, the traits that directly influence fruit texture and market acceptability. Genes linked to juice content QTLs, including LOC102611137 and LOC102612553 on chromosome 5, suggested their roles in metabolic regulations behind juice accumulation. These loci provided definitive breeding clues for enhancing the reshaping of citrus fruit transcriptomes while retaining key ancestral regulatory components. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Breeding Technology for Citrus)
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