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Horticulturae
Special Issues
10th Anniversary of Horticulturae—Recent Outcomes and Perspectives
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10th Anniversary of Horticulturae—Recent Outcomes and Perspectives

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 2345

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Luigi De Bellis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (DiSTeBA), Salento University, Lecce, Italy
Interests: plant physiology; horticulture; biodiversity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Horticulturae, which was initially published in 2015, will celebrate its 10-year anniversary in 2025. Only three articles were published in 2015. However, over 10 years, Horticulturae has published almost 4800 papers, illustrating the diversity and complexity of horticultural science. To commemorate Horticulturae's tenth anniversary and celebrate its success, we plan to produce a Special Issue titled "10th Anniversary of Horticulturae—Recent Outcomes and Perspectives". Over the last decade, the continuous support of the authors, editors, reviewers, and readers, combined with the work of the editorial staff, has resulted in the journal's remarkable success and high reputation, as evidenced by an Impact Factor of 3.1 and a CiteScore of 3.5. As a result, this Special Issue aims to recognize the combined efforts of all people who have contributed to the journal's success thus far, as well as collect scientific aspects of horticulture connected to current challenges and future innovations. This Special Issue will not only be an anniversary celebration but will also be a pathway to new innovations in horticulture and thus a driver for further development of the journal. In conclusion, I am pleased to announce that leading specialists in the field will be encouraged to participate in this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Luigi De Bellis
Guest Editor

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

  • genomics
  • crop physiology
  • protected culture
  • postharvest
  • precision horticulture
  • digital technologies
  • pest and disease control
  • sustainable systems

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

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 1762 KiB  
Article
Impact of a Synthetic Microbial Community on Salvia officinalis Under Optimal and Reduced Irrigation
by Renée Abou Jaoudé, Anna Grazia Ficca, Francesca Luziatelli, Anna Bececco, Elena Brunori, Rita Biasi, Ilenia Baraccani and Maurizio Ruzzi
Horticulturae 2025, 11(4), 374; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11040374 - 31 Mar 2025
Viewed by 378
Abstract
Water scarcity can negatively affect crop yield, posing a significant threat to global food security, such as drought. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), either as single strains or synthetic communities (SynComs), has shown promise in alleviating drought stress in various plant species. In this [...] Read more.
Water scarcity can negatively affect crop yield, posing a significant threat to global food security, such as drought. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), either as single strains or synthetic communities (SynComs), has shown promise in alleviating drought stress in various plant species. In this study, we examined the effects of water limitation on Salvia officinalis and the potential of a SynCom composed of five phosphate-solubilizing, auxin-producing, and/or nitrogen-fixing Gram-negative bacteria to enhance plant growth and drought tolerance. Plant growth, morphology, physiology, and leaf metabolomic profiles were assessed using a combination of physiological measurements and LC-MS untargeted metabolomics. Mild water stress induced a conservative water-use strategy in S. officinalis, characterized by increased root-to-shoot ratio and altered leaf morphology, without compromising photosynthetic performance. SynCom inoculation under well-watered conditions elicited drought-like responses, including transient reductions in stomatal conductance. Leaf metabolomic analysis revealed that inoculation influenced the abundance of several metabolites, including biogenic amines and dipeptides, under both irrigation regimes. Notably, drought stress and SynCom inoculation increased histamine and α-ketoglutaric acid levels, highlighting potential impacts on food quality. Under reduced irrigation, inoculation further modulated leaf morphology and biomass allocation, promoting thicker leaves and increased root biomass allocation. These results demonstrate the ability of the SynCom to modulate plant physiology and metabolism in response to both optimal and reduced irrigation, potentially enhancing drought resilience without directly improving growth. The study also highlights the complex interactions among microbial inoculation, plant stress responses, and leaf metabolite profiles, emphasizing the importance of considering the effects on the production of bioactive compounds when developing microbial inoculants for edible plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 10th Anniversary of Horticulturae—Recent Outcomes and Perspectives)
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16 pages, 2835 KiB  
Article
The Extended Photoperiod Impacts on Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum) in a Natural Tropical Greenhouse
by Jie He, Amrita Nair and Lin Qin
Horticulturae 2025, 11(3), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11030324 - 16 Mar 2025
Viewed by 481
Abstract
Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is valued for its culinary and medicinal properties. It thrives in full sunlight and long daylight hours under natural conditions. This study examined the effects of extended photoperiod on sweet basil grown in a hot and humid [...] Read more.
Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is valued for its culinary and medicinal properties. It thrives in full sunlight and long daylight hours under natural conditions. This study examined the effects of extended photoperiod on sweet basil grown in a hot and humid tropical greenhouse. Some plants received only natural sunlight (SL), while others had SL supplemented with LED light for 6 h (6 h) before sunrise and/or after sunset. Plants grown under only natural SL (L1) had a smaller leaf number, smaller leaf area per plant, lower shoot, and root productivity than those grown under other light conditions. The shoot fresh weight of basil grown under supplemented LED light for 3 h before sunrise and 3 h after sunset (L2), 6 h after sunset (L3), and 6 h before sunrise (L4) was 2.68, 2.33, and 1.94 times higher than L1 conditions, respectively. The maximum quantum efficiency of PSII, electron transport rate, effective quantum yield of PSII, and Chl a/b ratio were also higher in L2, L3, and L4. The total leaf soluble protein, ascorbic acid, total phenolic compounds, and dietary minerals followed the same trend. Among all treatments, L2 consistently showed significantly higher values, making it the optimal lighting strategy for extended photoperiod. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 10th Anniversary of Horticulturae—Recent Outcomes and Perspectives)
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Review

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27 pages, 1771 KiB  
Review
Sustainable Agriculture Through Compost Tea: Production, Application, and Impact on Horticultural Crops
by Emanuela Campana, Michele Ciriello, Matteo Lentini, Youssef Rouphael and Stefania De Pascale
Horticulturae 2025, 11(4), 433; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11040433 - 18 Apr 2025
Viewed by 629
Abstract
As part of the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork strategy was introduced with the idea that environment, agriculture and food are interconnected topics. Reducing the use of synthetic fertilizers by 20% before 2030 through the adoption of circular economy principles is [...] Read more.
As part of the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork strategy was introduced with the idea that environment, agriculture and food are interconnected topics. Reducing the use of synthetic fertilizers by 20% before 2030 through the adoption of circular economy principles is one of the goals to be achieved. There are several bioproducts that can be obtained from the valorization of agro-industrial wastes used to increase crop yields under low-fertilizer applications. However, the aim of this review is to describe production methods and the use of compost tea on horticultural crops to understand its real potential in providing plant growth support. The effects of compost tea on crops can vary widely depending on the waste material used, compost quality, compost tea production process and parameters, and the interaction between horticultural species and compost tea application dose. Therefore, because of this heterogeneity, it is possible that we would achieve real, positive impacts on the environment and horticultural production if there were more collaboration between the research sector and private farms. This collaboration would allow the development of protocols for compost tea production and customized use according to real farm needs. This would reduce both the costs associated with the disposal of waste produced on the farm and reduce the costs associated with the supply of synthetic fertilizers. The adoption of on-farm guidelines for compost tea use would achieve a balanced trade-off between agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. The literature review shows that the most-used dilution ratios, regardless of the type of starting compost, range from 1:5 to 1:10 compost–water (v/v). Although a complete understanding of the biostimulatory mechanisms activated by compost tea is lacking, the application of this bioproduct would improve the physiological and productive performance of many horticultural species of interest, especially under suboptimal conditions such as organic production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 10th Anniversary of Horticulturae—Recent Outcomes and Perspectives)
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13 pages, 642 KiB  
Review
Influence of Pre-Harvest Factors on the Storage of Fresh Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.): A Review
by Michele Ciriello, Petronia Carillo, Matteo Lentini and Youssef Rouphael
Horticulturae 2025, 11(3), 326; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11030326 - 16 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 428
Abstract
Thanks to its numerous uses in gastronomy, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, basil (Ocimum spp.) is one of the most studied and consumed aromatic plants worldwide. However, its commercialization and availability are limited by its short post-harvest shelf-life, primarily due to its strong sensitivity [...] Read more.
Thanks to its numerous uses in gastronomy, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, basil (Ocimum spp.) is one of the most studied and consumed aromatic plants worldwide. However, its commercialization and availability are limited by its short post-harvest shelf-life, primarily due to its strong sensitivity to cold, poor handling, and consequent microbial contamination. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research on pre-harvest techniques that can extend the shelf-life of basil, aiming to offer a practical tool for growers, distributors, retailers, and scientists. In addition to influencing the plant’s primary metabolism, pre-harvest factors, such as genotype selection, plant nutrition, irrigation, and light management, can have a direct impact on basil quality and shelf-life. Unlike previous reviews, which primarily focus on post-harvest strategies, this work provides a structured analysis of pre-harvest factors that directly influence basil’s shelf-life. By integrating recent findings on genotype selection, nutrient management, and environmental conditions, we offer a comprehensive framework to guide future agronomic practices aimed at minimizing post-harvest losses and enhancing product quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 10th Anniversary of Horticulturae—Recent Outcomes and Perspectives)
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