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Horticulturae
Special Issues
Mineral Nutrition of Plants
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Mineral Nutrition of Plants

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 October 2025 | Viewed by 2820

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Gustavo Brunetto

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Guest Editor
Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Santa Maria, Prédio 42, Office 3309, Avenida Roraima 1000, Santa Maria 95105-900, Brazil
Interests: plant nutrition; soil fertility; fertilization; fruit quality; heavy metals; roots; sustainable orchards and vineyards
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Danilo Eduardo Rozane

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Guest Editor
Department of Agronomy and Natural Resources, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Registro 11900-000, SP, Brazil
Interests: plant nutrition; soil fertility; fertilization; fruit quality; compositional nutrient diagnosis—CND; discriminant analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues，

Plants uptake nutrients. These nutrients can be transported, accumulated and redistributed. Leaves, flowers or other parts of plants can be collected, prepared and subjected to analysis in a laboratory. Also, non-destructive methodologies can be used to estimate nutrient levels in plants, which can be interpreted, helping us to define the need for fertilization in crops. Nutrients can positively impact the growth, productivity and quality of the food produced by a plant, with a deficiency or excess of nutrients having the ability to harm plants. Considering this information, this Special Issue welcomes manuscripts on topics related to plant strategies for increasing nutrient availability; chemical species of nutrients in soil and solution and their relationship with mineral nutrition; morphology and anatomy of the root system and the relationship with nutrition in plants; absorption, transport and redistribution of nutrients in plants; impact of fertilization on growth, productivity and food quality; methods/methodologies for estimating nutrients in plants; use of non-destructive methods/methodologies for estimating nutrients in plants; relationship of nutrients with the incidence of diseases in plants; mineral nutrition; and food quality.

Dr. Gustavo Brunetto
Dr. Danilo Eduardo Rozane
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

  • nutrient availability
  • root system
  • nutrient absorption
  • diagnosis of nutritional status
  • symptoms of nutrient excess and deficiency
  • productivity

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1260 KB  
Article
Seasonal Uptake and Partitioning of Macro- and Micronutrients in Yellow-Fleshed Kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis)
by Elena Baldi, Maurizio Quartieri, Giovambattista Sorrenti, Marco Mastroleo, Evangelos Xylogiannis and Moreno Toselli
Horticulturae 2025, 11(9), 1003; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11091003 - 23 Aug 2025
Viewed by 838
Abstract
Little information is available on the yellow-fleshed Zespri Zesy002 kiwifruit dynamic of mineral nutrient uptake and partitioning within organs. The aim of the present experiment was to find nutrient requirements and supply data for a specific nutrient management plan for Zesy002. The trial [...] Read more.
Little information is available on the yellow-fleshed Zespri Zesy002 kiwifruit dynamic of mineral nutrient uptake and partitioning within organs. The aim of the present experiment was to find nutrient requirements and supply data for a specific nutrient management plan for Zesy002. The trial was conducted, for three years, in northern Italy, on a six-year-old kiwifruit orchard of the variety Zespri Zesy002. During the experiment organs were periodically sampled and analyzed for macro- and micronutrient concentration. A yearly nutrient uptake of 175 g N plant−1, 16 g P plant−1, 138 g K plant−1, 235 g Ca plant−1, 48 g Mg plant−1, 17 g S plant−1, 247 mg B plant−1, 673 mg Cu plant−1, 5.20 g Fe plant−1, 473 mg Mn plant−1, and 263 mg Zn plant−1 was calculated, confirming that kiwifruit is a high-nutrient-demanding species. The nutrients found in the tree organs were divided in two factions: removed (not returned into the soil) and recycled (returned into the soil during and at the end of the growing cycle). The two fractions were similar for N, P, K, S, and Mn. The fraction recycled of Ca, Mg, Cu, and Zn was higher than the fraction removed, and the reverse was observed for Fe. These data created the basis for the determination of the correct nutritional plans that take into consideration not only nutrient requirements but also the dynamics of uptake during the season. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Nutrition of Plants)
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11 pages, 404 KB  
Article
Nutrient Concentration in Leaves, Branches, and Reproductive Organs of Coffea canephora Genotypes in Three Phenophases
by Maria Juliete Lucindo Rodrigues, Larícia Olária Emerick Silva, Ivoney Gontijo, Henrique Duarte Vieira, Alexandre Pio Viana, Miroslava Rakocevic and Fábio Luiz Partelli
Horticulturae 2025, 11(8), 872; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11080872 - 25 Jul 2025
Viewed by 550
Abstract
The nutrient requirements of coffee plants vary according to their phenological stages, with each nutrient playing specific roles in different structures and developmental phases. This study evaluated dry matter accumulation and the concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, [...] Read more.
The nutrient requirements of coffee plants vary according to their phenological stages, with each nutrient playing specific roles in different structures and developmental phases. This study evaluated dry matter accumulation and the concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and B in the leaves, branches, and reproductive organs of five Coffea canephora genotypes during three phenophases: flowering, fruit development, and fruit ripening. This work aimed to evaluate the distribution of nutrients in three phenophases in Coffeea canephora genotypes. Significant differences were observed among genotypes and phenophases. During flowering, leaves accumulated the highest amount of dry matter, but this pattern reversed in later stages, with greater accumulation in the fruits, especially during fruit ripening. The Verdim TA genotype showed the lowest dry matter accumulation in the branches across all phenophases. Genotypes A1 and Clementino presented the highest mean concentrations of P, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, and Zn in the leaves during the fruit development phase, while Verdim TA showed the lowest concentrations of P, K, Ca, Mn, Zn, and B. Future studies may include additional phenological stages and quantify nutrient remobilization efficiency in each genotype, contributing to improved management recommendation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Nutrition of Plants)
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29 pages, 5876 KB  
Article
Balanced Fertilization with Nitrogen, Molybdenum, and Zinc: Key to Optimizing Pecan Tree Yield and Quality of Western Schley Pecan Tree
by Laura R. Orozco-Meléndez, Linda C. Noperi-Mosqueda, Julio C. Oviedo-Mireles, Nubia G. Torres-Beltrán, Rosa M. Yáñez-Muñoz and Juan M. Soto-Parra
Horticulturae 2025, 11(7), 741; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11070741 - 27 Jun 2025
Viewed by 398
Abstract
This study evaluated the effect of soil and foliar fertilization with nitrogen (N), molybdenum (Mo), zinc (Zn), and their combination (Zn-Mo) on nutrition, enzymatic activity, photosynthetic pigments, and productive parameters in the Western Schley pecan tree. An orthogonal Taguchi L16 design was used [...] Read more.
This study evaluated the effect of soil and foliar fertilization with nitrogen (N), molybdenum (Mo), zinc (Zn), and their combination (Zn-Mo) on nutrition, enzymatic activity, photosynthetic pigments, and productive parameters in the Western Schley pecan tree. An orthogonal Taguchi L16 design was used with differentiated soil and foliar nitrate concentrations, reaching an average of 1557.7 mg kg−1, and increasing up to 1907 mg kg−1 depending on the fertilization dose. Nitrate reductase activity (NRNO3−) significantly increased with N and Mo applications, reaching a maximum of 13.62 µmol. Among photosynthetic pigments, chlorophyll a was the only variable with a significant response, highlighting the role of Mo in its enhancement. Positive effects were also observed on pomological traits such as yield (up to 425 kg ha−1), nut weight, and kernel percentage with increased doses of N and Mo. In conclusion, combined fertilization improved the nutritional status, physiological responses, and productivity of pecan trees, emphasizing the importance of balanced nutrient management to avoid nutritional antagonisms and to optimize both yield and fruit quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Nutrition of Plants)
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15 pages, 1064 KB  
Article
Networking 13 Berry Minerals to Sustain a High Yield of Firm Cranberry Fruits
by Leon Etienne Parent
Horticulturae 2025, 11(6), 705; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11060705 - 18 Jun 2025
Viewed by 554
Abstract
The N fertilization to reach high cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) yields resulted in high proportions of soft berries. Our objective was to define the mineral nutrient balance of cranberry to reach a high yield of firm berries. The database comprised 393 observations [...] Read more.
The N fertilization to reach high cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) yields resulted in high proportions of soft berries. Our objective was to define the mineral nutrient balance of cranberry to reach a high yield of firm berries. The database comprised 393 observations on cv. ‘Stevens’. Berries were analyzed for total S, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, B, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Al, and Si. Random Forest and XGBoost machine learning models were run to predict yield and firmness classes using raw concentrations, centered log ratios (clr) accounting for nutrient interactions, and weighted log ratios (wlr) that also considered the importance of each dual interaction. The wlr returned the most accurate models. The wlr standards elaborated from the high-yielding and nutritionally balanced subpopulation most often differed between the high-yield class and the high-firmness class. The wlr Cu level was significantly (p ≤ 0.01) too high to reach the high-yielding class in the nutritionally imbalanced subpopulation. There was excessive Al and shortage of Si and Mg to reach high berry firmness in the nutritionally imbalanced subpopulation (p ≤ 0.01), indicating the large influence of soil genesis on berry firmness. Despite statistical evidence, cranberry response to Al and Si corrective measures should be tested to elaborate site-specific recommendations based on soil and tissue tests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Nutrition of Plants)
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