Recent Advancements in Postharvest Fruit Quality and Physiological Mechanism: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Postharvest Biology, Quality, Safety, and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 June 2025 | Viewed by 1822

Special Issue Editors

College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
Interests: fruit quality; storage methods; postharvest physiology; molecular biology; preservation technique of fruit
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
Interests: postharvest biology and molecular biology of horticultural products (apple and kiwifruit)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
Interests: postharvest physiology and molecular biology; preservation technique; postharvest treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Following the tremendous success of the first edition of the Special Issue “Recent Advancements in Postharvest Fruit Quality and Physiological Mechanism” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/horticulturae/special_issues/6004PG6G5Q), a second edition is being launched.

Horticultural commodities are important factors in human nutrition and health. However, depending on the commodity and region, significant amounts are lost or wasted globally each year. The postharvest management of fruits requires a thorough understanding of their nature, physiology, and responses to the surrounding environment.

This Special Issue on “Recent advancements in Postharvest Fruit Quality and Physiological Mechanism” is dedicated exclusively to the publication of original papers, review articles, and frontier articles involving the biological and technological aspects of postharvest research on horticultural fruit crops. All aspects of postharvest science will be considered, including pre-harvest factors, ripening and senescence, product safety, systems biology, bioinformatics, entomology, plant physiology, plant pathology, (bio)chemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology, engineering, and modeling. Manuscripts examining the effect of treatments on the storage life of a product should include a mechanistic component and conduct research on the physiological effects and working principles of the treatments.

Dr. Yanrong Lv
Dr. Yuduan Ding
Dr. Yaxiu Xu
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

  • postharvest
  • fruit quality
  • storage
  • senescence
  • ripening
  • pathology

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 6163 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Bruising Characteristics of Large-Stone Fruits upon Impact Using Finite Element Method—A Case Study of Postharvest Loquats
by Chunxiang Liu, Baiqiu Li and Changsu Xu
Horticulturae 2025, 11(4), 440; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11040440 - 20 Apr 2025
Viewed by 410
Abstract
The bruising of fruits occurs at various stages, including picking, transportation, and sale. For fruits with large kernels that occupy a significant portion of their overall volume, considering the impact of the kernel is crucial in elucidating the mechanisms of bruising and controlling [...] Read more.
The bruising of fruits occurs at various stages, including picking, transportation, and sale. For fruits with large kernels that occupy a significant portion of their overall volume, considering the impact of the kernel is crucial in elucidating the mechanisms of bruising and controlling bruise formation. This study employs reverse engineering to develop a composite finite element model of loquat peel, flesh, and kernels. Bruise formation during collisions is analyzed from the perspectives of contact force, equivalent stress, energy, bruise volume, and bruise susceptibility, aiming to reveal the significant role of the fruit core in the bruise formation process. In this paper, we propose the use of 3D printing technology to accurately quantify bruise measurement for fruits with large kernels. The results showed that the maximum contact force, equivalent stress, and internal energy between loquat and steel/wood were essentially consistent, but all exceeded those observed when using rubber. Due to the blocking of stress transmission by the kernel, the susceptibility of loquats to bruising increases with height before decreasing. This study elucidates the mechanism of bruise formation in fruits with large kernels and provides methods and ideas for the research and precise measurement of complex fruit bruising characteristics. Full article
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18 pages, 1875 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Cracking Resistance and Post-Harvest Quality of Sweet Cherries (Prunus avium L.) Through Calcium and Potassium-Based Foliar Treatments
by Alice Varaldo and Giovanna Giacalone
Horticulturae 2025, 11(1), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11010030 - 2 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1125
Abstract
Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is a highly valued fruit crop in Italy, but its production is challenged by environmental stresses, particularly rain-induced cracking, which significantly affects yield and quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of foliar [...] Read more.
Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is a highly valued fruit crop in Italy, but its production is challenged by environmental stresses, particularly rain-induced cracking, which significantly affects yield and quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of foliar applications of calcium and potassium salts in reducing cracking and enhancing the overall quality and shelf-life of the sweet cherry cultivar “Regina”. The experiment was conducted in a commercial orchard in Piedmont, Italy, where the foliar application was studied across various parameters, including shoot growth, fruit yield, cracking incidence, and post-harvest quality during a 14-day storage period at 2 °C and 75% RH. Results showed that foliar treatments improved vegetative growth and increased the proportion of marketable fruit within the desirable Ø 28 mm size category. Moreover, treated fruits exhibited reduced cracking, reduced weight loss, and higher firmness during storage. Antioxidant activity and anthocyanin content were also better preserved in treated cherries since the day of the harvest. These findings indicate that foliar applications of macro- and micro-nutrients can mitigate cracking and improve the post-harvest performance of sweet cherries, providing a practical strategy to increase both yield and fruit quality in regions with adverse weather conditions. Full article
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