Novel Insights into the Phenology of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

Dear Colleagues,

The demand for medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) is increasing, creating opportunities for the growers to diversify and expand their MAP crops. The phytochemical profile of MAPs varies with the growing location, cultivar/population, phenophase and growing practices as well as postharvest processing. Therefore, the quality parameters of the raw material obtained are influenced by selecting the appropriate cultivar/genotype for a given location, and agrotechnology, especially the moment of harvesting, which has to be precisely defined. Moreover, the biological activity of the obtained raw material significantly depends on various factors during growing and postharvest processing. Yet, specific challenges exist for wild species newly introduced into cultivation as well as for MAP crops expanding in new areas, because their behaviour is less known. Additionally, weed management as well as pests and diseases are the main challenges.

Phenology is the study of the timing and patterns of biological events, such as flowering, fruiting, germination, dormancy, etc., in relation to environmental factors, such as temperature, rainfall, photoperiod, etc. Phenology is an important aspect of MAPs, as it affects their growth, yield, quality, and adaptation to changing climates. Phenological assessment can be successfully used for acclimation monitoring and to evaluate the suitability for the cultivation of newly introduced genotypes. In addition, unpredictable climatic trends are expected to impact plant phenology long term, and the potential implications for the sustainability of these crops require closer examination. This Special Issue intends to collect novel findings on the phenology of MAPs, highlighting its relevance both in the current context as well as in overcoming foreseeable challenges for MAP crops. Therefore, this SI specifically focuses on:

• Phenological stages and indicators of MAPs;
• Environmental factors influencing the phenology of MAPs;
• Phenological models and tools for MAPs;
• Phenotypic plasticity and adaptation of MAPs;
• Phenological effects on the yield and quality of MAPs;
• Phenological responses of MAPs to climate change and variability;
• Contemporary problems related to climate change and MAPs.

Dr. Milica Aćimović
Prof. Dr. Rodica Vârban
Prof. Dr. Dan Vârban
Dr. Andrei Stoie
Dr. Ioana Crisan
Guest Editors

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• adaptation to climatic conditions
• climate change and climate trends
• environmental factors
• ecosystems
• evolutionary ecology
• genotype by environment interaction
• phenological standardization
• pests and diseases
• phenotypic plasticity
• phenological traits
• plant metabolism
• BBCH scale
• seasonal phytochemical variations
• stress response
• abiotic and biotic stress