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Horticulturae
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The State of The Art of Horticulture Science in Spain
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The State of The Art of Horticulture Science in Spain

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 July 2023) | Viewed by 13600

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. María del Carmen Martínez Ballesta

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Agronomic Engineering Department, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII, 48., Murcia, 30203 Cartagena, Spain
Interests: water relations; aquaporins; secondary metabolism (glucosinolates); membrane proteins and nutrition in plants; crop production under different salinity stress
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Diego A. Moreno

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Laboratorio de Fitoquímica y Alimentos Saludables (LabFAS), CEBAS, CSIC, Campus Universitario de Espinardo—25, E-30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
Interests: phytochemicals; inflammation; obesity; health-centered agri-foods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Spanish horticulture has drastically changed in the 21st century. With 16.9 million hectares of arable land, novel technological advances in horticulture, vegetable production, gardening, and landscaping are now being employed for vegetable and fruit production.

Novel technologies in soilless cultivation systems, fertigation, global microclimatic control of greenhouses, use of renewable energy (e.g., solar, solar thermal, biomass-fired cogeneration, and geothermal), efficient artificial lighting, and lower CO2 emissions have made Spanish agrosystems more competitive.

Other environmental challenges, such as the conversion to productive organic farming, recycling, and composting of horticultural materials, continue to be major challenges to the future of horticultural production in Spain; therefore, it is important to find solutions to increase yields under a climate variety or solutions to enable extensive exploitation of groundwater.

This Special Issue provides an overview of modern Spanish agriculture, particularly focused on these novel technologies. 

Prof. Dr. María del Carmen Martínez Ballesta
Dr. Diego A. Moreno
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

  • artificial lighting
  • CO2 emissions
  • fertigation
  • greenhouse
  • groundwater
  • organic farming
  • soilless cultivation

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 5063 KiB  
Article
Shoot Dieback in Thornless Blackberries in Northern Spain Caused by Diaporthe rudis and Gnomoniopsis idaeicola
by Ana J. González and Marta Ciordia
Horticulturae 2023, 9(9), 965; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9090965 - 24 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1813
Abstract
A cane disease of a non-commercial thornless blackberry cultivar (genus Rubus, subgenus Rubus Watson) obtained in a breeding program was observed in May 2021 in northern Spain during a field evaluation. Symptoms of the disease appeared in spring and firstly consisted of [...] Read more.
A cane disease of a non-commercial thornless blackberry cultivar (genus Rubus, subgenus Rubus Watson) obtained in a breeding program was observed in May 2021 in northern Spain during a field evaluation. Symptoms of the disease appeared in spring and firstly consisted of dark-brown lesions in the petioles, tips, and intermediate zones of the canes, finally causing the leaves, canes, and lateral shoots to die. Two strains were recovered from infected canes and identified by morphological characteristics and multigene analysis as Gnomoniopsis idaeicola (LPPAF-977) and Diaporthe rudis (LPPAF-981). Pathogenicity tests showed that both fungi caused shoot dieback when artificially inoculated, reproducing the symptoms originally observed. Moreover, tissue necrosis was enhanced when Diaporthe rudis and Gnomoniopsis idaeicola were co-inoculated. This is the first report of Diaporthe rudis and Gnomoniopsis idaeicola causing a potentially serious disease to blackberries in Spain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The State of The Art of Horticulture Science in Spain)
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21 pages, 1861 KiB  
Article
Medium/Long-Term Efficiency of Struvite for Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Production: Effect on Soil Quality
by Carolina Mancho, Sergio Diez-Pascual, Juan Alonso, Mar Gil-Díaz, Pilar García-Gonzalo and M. Carmen Lobo
Horticulturae 2023, 9(6), 645; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9060645 - 30 May 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1831
Abstract
The global rise in population highlights the need for a greater production of quality food. In this regard, intensification of the agricultural sector and an increased use of fertilizers are key. Phosphorus (P), together with nitrogen (N) and potassium (K), is one of [...] Read more.
The global rise in population highlights the need for a greater production of quality food. In this regard, intensification of the agricultural sector and an increased use of fertilizers are key. Phosphorus (P), together with nitrogen (N) and potassium (K), is one of the essential elements for plant growth. Modern agriculture is dependent on P derived from phosphate rock, which is a non-renewable resource whose high-quality reserves are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. In this context, alternative sources of P and the development of new recovery technologies are required. Such technologies are increasingly focused on struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) (STR) from urban or livestock wastewater, whose accessibility is guaranteed. In this study, the medium–long term efficiency of STR from urban wastewater as a fertilizer was evaluated in three successive lettuce crops using a 25 kg pot trial. To this end, STR application was compared with the use of other conventional P fertilizers (NPK, monoammonium phosphate (MAP), and single superphosphate (SSP)) at a dose of 100 kg P ha−1. Crop biomass yield, P uptake, and the nutritional quality of the plants were determined. Moreover, the effect of STR on soil quality was examined using several soil biological indicators. In general, the STR treatment yielded similar biomass results to those obtained with NPK in the three successive lettuce crops. MAP and SSP treatments produced higher biomass in the first crop, but these values diminished in the next two. In relation to the effect on soil, STR treatment maintained the concentration of available P during the three growing cycles and enhanced microbial activity and functional diversity. On the basis of our findings, STR emerges as a sustainable P-fertilization strategy for lettuce production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The State of The Art of Horticulture Science in Spain)
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15 pages, 2806 KiB  
Article
QTL Analysis of Morpho-Agronomic Traits in Garden Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.)
by Verónica García, Patricia Castro, Jose V. Die, Teresa Millán, Juan Gil and Roberto Moreno
Horticulturae 2023, 9(1), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9010041 - 31 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2793
Abstract
In order to understand the genetic control of quantitative agronomic traits in garden asparagus, we performed a quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis. A population (n = 167) derived from a cross between a female and male plants was evaluated for morpho-agronomic traits over [...] Read more.
In order to understand the genetic control of quantitative agronomic traits in garden asparagus, we performed a quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis. A population (n = 167) derived from a cross between a female and male plants was evaluated for morpho-agronomic traits over three years. Interval mapping (IM) and restricted multiple QTL mapping (rMQM) analysis was applied, and 18 QTLs were detected. QTLs were located in two linkage groups (LG): 5 in LG5 and 13 in LG6. The physical position of markers of both groups was mapped onto the reference genome through BLAST analysis. LG5 and LG6 match with chromosome 1 (sex-determining chromosome) and chromosome 5, respectively. Haplotypes of both chromosomes of the heterozygous parent and their progeny were obtained, and a bin map was developed. Bins were used to map the QTLs on the reference genome and to perform the association analysis with the morpho-agronomic traits. Two major and stable QTLs over the years (R2 > 10%) for number of stalk and earliness were mapped in the end of chromosome 1 into a bin that spans 3.25 Mb and includes the sex-determination locus. In chromosome 5, some QTLs were located in the center of chromosome for the year 2016. Branching is tightly regulated by both internal factors (such as plant hormones) and external factors (such as light conditions). QTLs for branching height and earliness were detected in a bin that spans 4.96 Mb. Functional annotation of genes within the two bins revealed candidate genes with potential roles in SA and light signaling and photomorphogenesis pathways that may be involved in branching and/or tillering. This is the first study providing the identification of genomic regions associated with yield-related morpho-agronomic traits in asparagus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The State of The Art of Horticulture Science in Spain)
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17 pages, 4118 KiB  
Article
Phenological Study of 53 Spanish Minority Grape Varieties to Search for Adaptation of Vitiviniculture to Climate Change Conditions
by Gregorio Muñoz-Organero, Francisco E. Espinosa, Félix Cabello, José Pablo Zamorano, Miguel A. Urbanos, Belén Puertas, Miguel Lara, Carme Domingo, Anna Puig-Pujol, M. Esperanza Valdés, Daniel Moreno, Emilia Diaz-Losada, M. Carmen Martínez, José L. Santiago, José F. Cibriain, Eva Raboso and Marta Fernández-Pastor
Horticulturae 2022, 8(11), 984; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8110984 - 22 Oct 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3066
Abstract
The main phenological stages (budburst, flowering, veraison, and ripeness) of 53 Spanish minority varieties were studied to determine their potential to help winegrowers adapt to climate change conditions. In total, 43 varieties were studied in the same location in Spain (Alcalá de Henares, [...] Read more.
The main phenological stages (budburst, flowering, veraison, and ripeness) of 53 Spanish minority varieties were studied to determine their potential to help winegrowers adapt to climate change conditions. In total, 43 varieties were studied in the same location in Spain (Alcalá de Henares, in the Madrid region) and 10 varieties in 5 other regions (Galicia, Navarre, Catalonia, Extremadura, and Andalusia). Other traits of agronomic and oenological interest, such as yield and acidity, were also monitored. The results allow for the grouping of the varieties into several clusters according to the time of ripeness (very early—only for red varieties—and early, intermediate, and late, for both red and white varieties) and yield (high, medium, and low). The total acidity in the grape juice ranged from 3 to 11 g of tartaric acid/L. The average temperatures were higher (up to 3–4 °C during summer) compared to historical averages during the 1957–2021 time period. Advanced phenology phases and reduced acidity are regarded as negative effects of climate change for winegrowing practices. Since some minority varieties showed late or intermediate ripening, high acidity, and high (1 Kg/shoot) or medium (0.5 Kg/shoot) yield, our findings suggest that they may be cultivated in the coming years by winegrowers as an approach to mitigate climate change effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The State of The Art of Horticulture Science in Spain)
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14 pages, 612 KiB  
Article
Use Optimization of Organic Wastes in Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation against Strawberry Charcoal Rot Root
by Ana Márquez-Caro, Celia Borrero, Paloma Hernández-Muñiz and Manuel Avilés
Horticulturae 2022, 8(9), 841; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8090841 - 13 Sep 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2339
Abstract
The imminent removal of agrochemicals in Europe is directly affecting the strawberry sector in Spain, specifically in the Huelva province. Huelva is currently the main producer in the country. The lack of efficient fumigants has led to the rise of soilborne diseases. Macrophomina [...] Read more.
The imminent removal of agrochemicals in Europe is directly affecting the strawberry sector in Spain, specifically in the Huelva province. Huelva is currently the main producer in the country. The lack of efficient fumigants has led to the rise of soilborne diseases. Macrophomina phaseolina (the causal agent of charcoal rot in strawberries) is generating serious problems with strawberry farmers. This work proposes to optimize the process of anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) against M. phaseolina in strawberry crops as a more sustainable alternative than chemical fumigation. Two trials with different inoculum doses were conducted, amending the soil with rice bran and residual strawberry extrudate as the carbon source for the ASD to evaluate the propagule reduction. After the ASD, these soils were used to crop strawberries in a growth chamber under controlled conditions to assay the disease reduction. Strawberry extrudate and rice bran favored disease reduction over the control, equaling the efficacy of Metam Sodium or even improving it in some cases. Trichoderma spp. and microbial activity could influence the suppressive effect of the ASD. All amended ASD treatments reduced the M. phaseolina propagules and charcoal rot severity. Rice bran and residual strawberry extrudate are suitable amendments to be used in ASD against the pathogen. The resulting soil disinfestation against M. phaseolina with residual strawberry extrudate at 16.89 t/ha and 25 days was similar to the most effective treatment with rice bran (20 t/ha and 40 days) based on the disease foliar severity. Additionally, both treatments were equivalent in efficacy to the Metam Sodium treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The State of The Art of Horticulture Science in Spain)
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