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Horticulturae
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Advances in Developmental Biology and Quality Control of Berry Crops
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Advances in Developmental Biology and Quality Control of Berry Crops

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 November 2026 | Viewed by 3561

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Dong Qin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150006, China
Interests: quality formation and regulation of small berries; cultivation physiology of small berry crops; evaluation and utilization of small berry germplasm resources
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Di Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: fruit quality; preservation and intelligent packaging materials; postharvest physical sterilization

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Berry crops (blueberry (Vaccinium), blue honeysuckle (Lonicera), raspberry (Rubus), blackberry (Rubus), blackcurrant (Ribes), gooseberry (Ribes), Kiwifruit (Actinidia), elderberry (Sambucus), cranberry (Vaccinium), and goji Berry (Lycium), etc.) are prized for their high nutritional value and antioxidant capacity, but their commercial success depends on exacting developmental programming and rigorous post-harvest quality control. This Special Issue aims to compile cutting-edge research and comprehensive reviews on the molecular, genetic, and physiological mechanisms governing the development, ripening, and quality attainment of berry crops.

This Special Issue welcomes original and review articles in (but not limited to) the following areas:

  • Floral organogenesis and fruit set control.
  • Molecular and hormonal regulation of berry development and ripening.
  • Biosynthesis and transport of nutrients and functional compounds.
  • Abiotic-stress responses and quality maintenance.
  • Pre- and Postharvest Quality Management and Technology.
  • Novel post-harvest disease-control technologies (physical, chemical, biological control methods).
  • Rapid, non-destructive detection and intelligent sorting.
  • Supply-chain preservation and quality traceability.

Prof. Dr. Dong Qin
Prof. Dr. Di Wu
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

  • berry development
  • fruit ripening
  • secondary metabolism
  • post-harvest disease
  • quality control
  • smart packaging
  • biological control

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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

19 pages, 3547 KB  
Article
Dihydroflavonol 4-Reductase (DFR) Gene in Ribes nigrum L. Enhances Cold and Drought Resistance by Promoting Flavonoid Synthesis
by Miyun Jiao, Yueren Xiao, Kexin Liu, Huixin Gang, Junwei Huo and Dong Qin
Horticulturae 2026, 12(4), 485; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12040485 - 16 Apr 2026
Viewed by 892
Abstract
The ripe fruits of blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) are rich in vitamin C, anthocyanins, and flavonoids. Besides being consumed fresh, the fruits can be processed into fruit juices, jams, wines, and other products, exhibiting considerable economic and nutritional value. Flavonoids are a [...] Read more.
The ripe fruits of blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) are rich in vitamin C, anthocyanins, and flavonoids. Besides being consumed fresh, the fruits can be processed into fruit juices, jams, wines, and other products, exhibiting considerable economic and nutritional value. Flavonoids are a class of important plant secondary metabolites with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Although previous studies have confirmed the involvement of multiple structural genes and transcription factors in flavonoid biosynthesis, the specific role of the dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) gene in regulating flavonoid accumulation during fruit development of blackcurrant remains to be clearly elucidated. In this study, we identified an RnDFR gene located in the nucleus and cytoplasm, which has the same expression trend as flavonoid content in fruit development stages. Overexpression of RnDFR improved the flavonoid accumulation and upregulated the expression levels of related structural genes (4CL, CHS, LDOX, ANR, and UFGT) in tomato. Transiently overexpressing RnDFR in blackcurrant fruit also increased the content of flavonoids and DFR enzyme activity, whereas silencing RnDFR resulted in the opposite effect. In addition, overexpression of RnDFR in tomato seedlings improved cold and drought tolerance by increasing flavonoid accumulation, reducing membrane lipid peroxidation damage and enhancing the activities of antioxidant enzymes. This study systematically reveals the key role of RnDFR in flavonoid biosynthesis and the enhancement of cold and drought tolerance, and offers an important theoretical basis for future efforts to optimize flavonoid content in blackcurrant and improve fruit nutritional quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Developmental Biology and Quality Control of Berry Crops)
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21 pages, 6722 KB  
Article
Identification of LBD Family in Blueberry and Its Potential Involvement of Development and Responses to Hormones
by Botian Zheng, Pinda Xing, Shiyi Wen, Min Xiao, Tianmiao Huang, Xuyan Li, Xinsheng Zhang, Lulu Zhai and Shaomin Bian
Horticulturae 2026, 12(3), 311; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12030311 - 5 Mar 2026
Viewed by 410
Abstract
Background: LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES DOMAIN (LBD/AS2) transcription factors integrate developmental and hormonal signals during organogenesis. As a high-value fruit tree crop, blueberries’ rooting ability underpins their vegetative propagation and field performance, yet a genome-wide view of the LBD repertoire and its roles [...] Read more.
Background: LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES DOMAIN (LBD/AS2) transcription factors integrate developmental and hormonal signals during organogenesis. As a high-value fruit tree crop, blueberries’ rooting ability underpins their vegetative propagation and field performance, yet a genome-wide view of the LBD repertoire and its roles in blueberry has been lacking. Results: We cataloged 153 non-redundant LBD genes (VcLBD) by homology search against the GDV RefTrans V1 genome and domain validation, substantially exceeding counts reported for other fruit crops. Phylogeny resolved the family into the canonical Class I/II and seven subclades, with extensive lineage-specific expansion supported by synteny: 72.31% of loci arose from whole-genome/segmental and tandem duplication. Gene structures were highly heterogeneous (2–24 exons) but conserved within clades; motif profiling (MEME/InterPro) recovered the signature LOB cysteine block, GAS module and a leucine-zipper-like motif with clade-specific combinations. Promoter scanning identified 38 cis-element types, including hormone- (auxin, cytokinin, GA, JA/MeJA, ABA, SA), stress- and meristem-associated motifs, indicating broad regulatory inputs. Public transcriptomes revealed pronounced tissue–stage specificity with a root-centered bias; qRT-PCR across eight organs/stages validated four archetypal expression programs (higher expression in roots, flowers, fruits in stage 1, or mature fruit, respectively), including floral/early-fruit enrichment (e.g., VcLBD39/40) and ripening-associated induction. Hormone assays demonstrated differential responsiveness: IAA up-regulated VcLBD6/16b/33c/40e/41, whereas 6-BA suppressed VcLBD16b/33c/39a/39c/40e and induced VcLBD41/46h; ACC and MeJA produced gene-specific induction or repression. During adventitious rooting (0/4/7/10 DAC), 30 VcLBDs were differentially expressed, forming three temporal patterns. VcLBD16b reaches its peak expression during the early stages of adventitious root development and exhibits a strong response to auxin. VcLBD11 shows dynamic changes synchronized with cytokinin activity, while VcLBD33/40 is associated with primordia growth and vascular-related processes. Conclusions: We identified and characterized 153 VcLBD genes, profiled their transcripts across multiple blueberry tissues, defined stages of adventitious root development, and evaluated hormone responsiveness for representative members. Together, these results establish a foundation for dissecting VcLBD regulatory mechanisms and functions, particularly in organ growth and adventitious rooting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Developmental Biology and Quality Control of Berry Crops)
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18 pages, 3249 KB  
Article
Functional Identification of the RiPFK2 Gene in Raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) Demonstrates That It Enhances Fructose Content Inside Fruits
by Binbin Xu, Teng Zhang, Xuesong Ling, Fan Yang, Yingying Wen, Guohui Yang and Tiemei Li
Horticulturae 2026, 12(1), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12010079 - 9 Jan 2026
Viewed by 649
Abstract
Fruit sweetness is a key trait that determines the quality of fresh raspberries and meets processing requirements. It is mainly regulated by the content of soluble sugars and organic acids. However, there is still a lack of systematic research on the molecular mechanisms [...] Read more.
Fruit sweetness is a key trait that determines the quality of fresh raspberries and meets processing requirements. It is mainly regulated by the content of soluble sugars and organic acids. However, there is still a lack of systematic research on the molecular mechanisms of sugar accumulation during the development of raspberry fruits. This study used the raspberry variety ‘Caroline’ as material. By detecting changes in sugar content during fruit development and ripening, combined with transcriptomic analysis of related differentially expressed genes, it was found that the differentially expressed gene RiPFK2 was significantly upregulated during the period of rapid sugar accumulation in the fruit. We constructed an RiPFK2 overexpression vector and found that fructose content significantly increased in transgenic tomatoes and raspberries, indicating that this gene positively regulates fructose accumulation. This study is the first to reveal the positive regulatory role of PFK family members in fructose accumulation in raspberry fruits, providing a theoretical basis for improving raspberry fruit quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Developmental Biology and Quality Control of Berry Crops)
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19 pages, 3074 KB  
Article
Comparative LC-MS/MS Metabolomics of Wild and Cultivated Strawberries Reveals Enhanced Triterpenoid Accumulation and Superior Free Radical Scavenging Activity in Fragaria nilgerrensis
by Mingzheng Duan, Liuyuan Bao, Ting Jiang, Kangjian Song, Yubo Chen, Sijiu He, Xiande Duan, Muhammad Ikram, Shunqiang Yang and Muhammad Junaid Rao
Horticulturae 2025, 11(12), 1417; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11121417 - 22 Nov 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1191
Abstract
Strawberry fruit quality is linked to its phytochemical composition, yet the diversity of non-volatile terpenoids remains largely unexplored. Therefore, a comparative LC-MS/MS-based metabolomic analysis of terpenoid profiles was conducted using three commercial cultivars (Fragaria × ananassa) and a wild accession of [...] Read more.
Strawberry fruit quality is linked to its phytochemical composition, yet the diversity of non-volatile terpenoids remains largely unexplored. Therefore, a comparative LC-MS/MS-based metabolomic analysis of terpenoid profiles was conducted using three commercial cultivars (Fragaria × ananassa) and a wild accession of Fragaria nilgerrensis (HM). Results from this study showed that the HM cultivar had a total terpenoid abundance 5–6 times higher than the commercial cultivars. The HM cultivar was uniquely enriched in specific triterpenoids, such as 3β,6β,19α,24-Tetrahydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid and 13,27-Cyclo-2,3-Dihydroxy-11,19(29)-Ursadien-28-Oic Acid, which was over 450 times higher than the ‘Danxue’ and ‘Fenyu’ commercial strawberry cultivars. Conversely, sesquiterpenoids like Alismol and Pterocarpol were 100 times lower in HM than in the commercial cultivars. This enhanced triterpenoid accumulation strongly correlated with a superior capacity to scavenge free radicals in vitro, with HM showing maximum capacity, as measured by the DPPH assay. These findings highlight the value of wild strawberry germplasm as a reservoir of biochemical diversity for breeding strawberries with enhanced functional quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Developmental Biology and Quality Control of Berry Crops)
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