New Advances in Secondary Metabolism of Vegetable Crops

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Genetics, Genomics, Breeding, and Biotechnology (G2B2)".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 16 June 2025 | Viewed by 416

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Interests: Brassica vegetables; mustard; anthocyanin; nutritional quality; transcriptional regulation

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Guest Editor
College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Interests: abiotic stress; ABA; stomatal regulation; stress physiology; tomato; ethylene

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Vegetables are a key component of human nutrition, not only providing essential nutrients but also contributing bioactive compounds from secondary metabolism. These compounds, including carotenoids, flavonoids, and glucosinolates, are vital for various physiological processes such as plant growth, stress tolerance, and the enhancement of sensory and nutritional quality. Their production and regulation are influenced by both genetic factors and environmental stimuli, as well as postharvest conditions. While advances in model species have expanded our understanding of secondary metabolism, there remains a significant need for more focused research on vegetable crops.

Despite significant progress in traditional horticultural practices, the detailed molecular mechanisms that regulate the biosynthesis and regulation of secondary metabolites in vegetables remain underexplored. However, recent advances in molecular biology, such as next-generation sequencing, multi-omics (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics), and gene-editing technologies (CRISPR), have opened new avenues for understanding how these compounds are regulated and how they contribute to plant performance and quality.

For this Special Issue, we invite submissions of original research, reviews, short communications, and perspectives that focus on the role of secondary metabolites in vegetables. Topics of interest include the regulation of secondary metabolite biosynthesis, their contribution to plant development and stress resistance, and the integration of advanced molecular techniques with traditional cultivation practices. We especially encourage studies that explore how these compounds can be manipulated to improve crop yield, quality, and resistance, providing new insights into vegetable production.

Prof. Dr. Bo Sun
Dr. Xuena Yu
Dr. Kehao Liang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • vegetables
  • secondary metabolites
  • biosynthesis, degradation, and regulation
  • whole-genome resequencing
  • transcriptomics
  • proteomics
  • metabolomics
  • gene editing
  • gene regulation
  • growth and development
  • yield
  • quality
  • resistance

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

10 pages, 2856 KiB  
Article
Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analysis Reveals Improved Fruit Quality in Grafted Watermelon
by Kang Ning, Xiaoqi Cai, Leiyan Yan, Weixin Zhou, An Xie, Yuhong Wang and Pei Xu
Horticulturae 2024, 10(12), 1269; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10121269 - 28 Nov 2024
Viewed by 259
Abstract
Grafting technology can improve the yield and quality of crops. In this study, we investigated the effects of grafting on watermelon using transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis. A total of 216 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified between pumpkin-grafted watermelon and self-grafted watermelon. KO [...] Read more.
Grafting technology can improve the yield and quality of crops. In this study, we investigated the effects of grafting on watermelon using transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis. A total of 216 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified between pumpkin-grafted watermelon and self-grafted watermelon. KO (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes Orthology) analysis revealed that the DAMs were mainly enriched in the flavone and flavonol biosynthesis pathway. In addition, high levels of phloretin and citric acid were found in pumpkin-grafted watermelon, which contributes to fruit quality. Meanwhile, compounds such as olivetol and ferulaldehyde, which confer a bitter taste, were downregulated in pumpkin-grafted watermelon. The transcriptome data indicated that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified in the pulp were enriched in fructose and mannose metabolism, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and flavone and flavonol biosynthesis pathways. Moreover, genes related to the microtubule, cell wall, and fiber were highly expressed in the stem of pumpkin-grafted watermelon, suggesting that grafting could change the structure of the stem and improve the quality of watermelon fruit. Our study provides a comprehensive picture of the transcriptional and metabolic profile of watermelon induced by grafting, which furthers our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in improving watermelon fruit quality by grafting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Secondary Metabolism of Vegetable Crops)
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