From Farm to Table in the Era of a New Horticulture in Spain

Dear Colleagues,

Concepts of horticultural science are utilized for the production, enhancement and marketing as well as the improvement of human and animal life on Earth. With an arable land of 16.9 million hectares, and a world population that will increase from the current 7 billion to 9.5 billion by the year 2050, new technological advancements in horticulture have emerged as a major focus in crop production.

The field of horticulture has grown exponentially in recent years. The future of horticulture holds different possibilities for progress in terms of new technologies and precision agriculture, sustainable practices, urban agriculture, climate resilience, consumer preferences, health and wellness and biodiversity conservation. In the context of promoting efficient and sustainable crop production systems, that require less inputs and biodegradable wastes as well as do not compromise productivity and quality, we present this Special Issue with the aim to provide insights on the following areas:

• The latest scientific results on innovative and smart technologies, such as vertical farming and indoor cultivation, agrovoltaics, artificial intelligence in agriculture, agroecology and automation and measurement of fertigation, all of which promote precision management in horticulture;

• Other advances in soilless cultivation, with new opportunities to improve plant growth and reduce water and carbon footprint as well as improve nutrient efficiency in consonance with an environmental objective;

• New substrates as a source of nutrients, substrates for green roofs and vertical gardens, new alternative substrates to peat and the study of physical, chemical, and biological properties of substrates, substrate disinfection and recovery and the reuse of nutritional solutions that can improve horticulture;

• New fertilizers, such as biofertilizers, fortifiers and/or biostimulants, techniques for increasing efficiency in the use of fertilizers, use of compost and vermicompost, precision fertilization, new varieties adapted to climate change conditions, and new control techniques of plagues and diseases;

• Importance of bioactive compounds in horticultural products, novel plant products for food, pre-harvest applications to improve post-harvest quality and the revaluation of plant resources for food as a sustainable link of the food chain.

Prof. Dr. María del Carmen Martínez Ballesta
Dr. Victor M. Gallegos-Cedillo
Dr. Almudena Giménez
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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