Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.1
3.0
Journals
Horticulturae
Special Issues
Seed Biology in Horticulture: From Dormancy to Germination
share announcement

Seed Biology in Horticulture: From Dormancy to Germination

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Propagation and Seeds".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2027 | Viewed by 2541

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Valeria Cafaro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CNR-Istituto per la BioEconomia (IBE), Sede Secondaria di Catania, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
Interests: seed germination; sustainable use of irrigation water; crop management; fruit quality; biomass crops
Dr. Cristina Patanè

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto per la BioEconomia (IBE), 95126 Catania, Italy
Interests: seed germination; abiotic stresses; deficit irrigation; agronomy; crop management; energy biomass crops; applied plant sciences; plant breeding; agrobiodiversity; agroecology and soil biology; biofuels; biomaterials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Seeds are essential in horticultural production, and their biological characteristics significantly influence crop establishment, performance, and sustainability. Horticultural research has traditionally focused on yield and post-harvest quality. However, current global challenges, such as climate change, resource scarcity, and the need for more sustainable agricultural practices, have shifted the focus toward the early stages of plant development. These include seed dormancy, germination, and seedling establishment. These processes are crucial not only in ensuring successful crop establishment but also in advancing several of the United Nations Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12), and Climate Action (SDG 13). Therefore, enhancing our understanding of seed biology is essential in developing resilient, efficient, and sustainable horticultural systems that align with global sustainability targets. This Special Issue, titled "Seed Biology in Horticulture: From Dormancy to Germination", will highlight recent advances in our understanding of the physiological, molecular, and ecological aspects of seed biology in horticultural species. We invite original research articles, reviews, and short communications that explore key themes such as dormancy mechanisms, the regulation of germination via environmental and hormonal cues, seed quality and vigor, seed priming and enhancement technologies, and the impact of stress conditions on early seedling development. For this Special Issue, we encourage the submission of studies that focus on genetic regulation, the application of new technologies, and innovations for enhancing seed performance within sustainable horticultural systems. Our goal is to provide a platform for sharing both fundamental and applied research that will advance our understanding of seed biology and promote the development of more resilient and efficient horticultural practices. Papers submitted to this Special Issue will be subject to peer review to allow for the rapid dissemination of robust results.

Dr. Valeria Cafaro
Dr. Cristina Patanè
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

  • seed dormancy
  • germination physiology
  • seed vigor
  • seed treatments
  • biotic and abiotic stress

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

24 pages, 3240 KB  
Article
Investigations into Selected Pollinator-Friendly Plant Species: Seed Lot Germination, Breaking Dormancy with Plant Hormone Priming and the Influence of Water Stress on Germination
by Sıtkı Ermiş, Masoume Amirkhani, Michael T. Loos and Alan G. Taylor
Horticulturae 2026, 12(1), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12010032 - 26 Dec 2025
Viewed by 973
Abstract
The lack of protocols for breaking seed dormancy, inconsistent seed quality, and abiotic stress factors such as drought impede large-scale restoration efforts of pollinator-friendly native plant species. This research explores the germination response, dormancy-breaking techniques, and water stress tolerance in selected pollinator-friendly plant [...] Read more.
The lack of protocols for breaking seed dormancy, inconsistent seed quality, and abiotic stress factors such as drought impede large-scale restoration efforts of pollinator-friendly native plant species. This research explores the germination response, dormancy-breaking techniques, and water stress tolerance in selected pollinator-friendly plant species with characteristics facilitating mechanized rehabilitation protocols and biodiversity enhancement. Forty-two commercial seed lots representing seven plant families with 28 species were evaluated under two alternating temperature regimes (15/25 °C and 20/30 °C) with and without gibberellic acid (GA3) priming treatments. Six of the twenty-eight species were selected based on pollinator requirements for the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus L.) and further examined by priming seeds for 24 h in solutions containing GA3, kinetin (KIN), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), or their combinations, to evaluate their dormancy-breaking responses. The effect of water stress on seed germination was assessed in controlled chambers at soil water potentials of −1.08, −0.75, −0.13, and 0 MPa. Initial seed quality of the 42 seed lots revealed that only 62% had greater than 50% germination, while of the same 42 lots, 98% had greater than 50% viability based on the commercial seed label. The difference was largely attributed to seed dormancy. In laboratory studies of the 42 seed lots, GA3 significantly enhanced germination percentage, and reduced T50 (time to 50% germination) across most seed lots. Overall, germination was higher and faster at 20/30 °C than 15/25 °C. Priming the six selected species with 1.0 mM GA3 in 0.3% H2O2 consistently improved germination compared to the non-primed control after 14 days. Asclepias species (A. incarnata, A. syriaca, and A. tuberosa) exhibited consistently high germination across a broad moisture range of −0.75 to 0 MPa. In contrast, Echinacea purpurea required high moisture levels (−0.13 to 0 MPa) for optimal germination. Monarda fistulosa and Rudbeckia hirta showed their best performance under moderate moisture conditions (−0.13 MPa). Collectively, the use of GA3 priming to break physiological seed dormancy offers a promising approach to enhance germination and improving the establishment potential of native pollinator species in restoration programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seed Biology in Horticulture: From Dormancy to Germination)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 4737 KB  
Article
Acid Electrolyzed Water Priming Induces Phenylpropane Metabolism and Antioxidant Enzyme System to Promote Seed Germination of Celery
by Yi Zhu, Yufan Sun, Haolong Li, Yubin Lan, Danfeng Huang and Shuo Zhao
Horticulturae 2025, 11(12), 1543; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11121543 - 18 Dec 2025
Viewed by 708
Abstract
Seed germination of celery (Apium graveolens L.) is notoriously slow and asynchronous, which severely constrains uniform seedling establishment and crop yield. Seed priming is an effective technique to improve germination, and acidic electrolyzed water, characterized by low pH and high oxidation–reduction potential, [...] Read more.
Seed germination of celery (Apium graveolens L.) is notoriously slow and asynchronous, which severely constrains uniform seedling establishment and crop yield. Seed priming is an effective technique to improve germination, and acidic electrolyzed water, characterized by low pH and high oxidation–reduction potential, has emerged as a novel priming agent. However, the effect of acid electrolyzed water priming (EWP) on celery seed germination and the underlying mechanisms still need to be explored. The present study aimed to investigate the physiological and molecular mechanisms by which EWP promotes celery seed germination, with a focus on the roles of the phenylpropane metabolism and the antioxidant enzyme system. Celery seeds were treated with EWP, hydro-priming (HYD), and untreated (CK). It was found that the EWP treatment significantly enhanced germination characteristics compared to both CK and HYD. Transcriptome analysis revealed that EWP triggered more extensive transcriptional reprogramming than HYD, and EWP specifically enriched “Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis” and “Flavonoid biosynthesis” pathways, downregulating upstream genes (PAL, 4CL) while upregulating downstream genes (CCR, CHI, F3H) in the phenylpropane pathway. Physiologically, EWP significantly increased CHI activity and the contents of total phenols and flavonoids at all sampling time points, and enhanced the activities of SOD, POD, CAT, and APX. Consequently, the DPPH and FRAP free radical scavenging capacities were significantly strengthened in EWP-treated seeds. In conclusion, it is believed that EWP activation promotes celery seed germination by coordinating the phenylpropane pathway and antioxidant enzyme system, ensuring effective radical scavenging activities and cell protection. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the application of EWP and highlight the potential as a novel priming technology for celery and other horticultural crops. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seed Biology in Horticulture: From Dormancy to Germination)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop