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Horticulturae
Special Issues
Driving Sustainable Agriculture Through Scientific Innovation
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Driving Sustainable Agriculture Through Scientific Innovation

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 2801

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Dean Ban

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Agriculture and Tourism, Karla Huguesa 8, 52440 Poreč, Croatia
Interests: sustainable agriculture; horticulture; genetic resources

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Institute of Agriculture and Tourism in Poreč, Croatia, this Special Issue of Horticulturae seeks contributions that explore the role of science and innovation in driving sustainable Mediterranean agriculture forward.

As global food systems face escalating challenges from climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource limitations, the need for resilient and sustainable production models has never been more critical.

We welcome original research articles and review papers on a broad range of topics, including (but not limited to) the following: agroecology; organic and integrated production systems; plant nutrition and protection strategies; novel applications of biostimulants; the conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources; crop improvement; soil and water sustainability; climate adaptation and circular agriculture; and the production of olives, grapes, fruits, vegetables, wine, and olive oil. Contributions that contain interdisciplinary and applied research that connects scientific insights with practical implementation are particularly encouraged.

This Special Issue aims to promote innovative approaches that bridge traditional knowledge and modern science, contributing to agricultural systems that are ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially responsible.

Join us in celebrating 150 years of scientific dedication to agriculture by submitting your work, helping to shape a sustainable future for food and farming.

Dr. Dean Ban
Guest Editor

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

  • sustainable agriculture
  • circular agriculture
  • organic farming
  • integrated production
  • agroecology
  • plant nutrition
  • plant protection strategies
  • biostimulants
  • genetic resources
  • crop improvement
  • soil and water management
  • olive-, grape-, fruit-, vegetable-, wine- and olive oil-related studies
  • agricultural innovation

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

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 10671 KB  
Article
Screening for Variation in Leaf Elemental Content Between Croatian Autochthonous Kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) Accessions
by Zoran Užila, Marko Černe, Boris Lazarević, Mario Franić, Bernard Prekalj, Igor Palčić, Nikola Major, Dean Ban, Milan Poljak and Smiljana Goreta Ban
Horticulturae 2026, 12(1), 12; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12010012 - 23 Dec 2025
Viewed by 338
Abstract
Kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) has a long history of cultivation, and its importance as a source of mineral nutrients has received particular attention. This study aims to screen the variation in elemental leaf accumulation of 23 Croatian autochthonous kale [...] Read more.
Kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) has a long history of cultivation, and its importance as a source of mineral nutrients has received particular attention. This study aims to screen the variation in elemental leaf accumulation of 23 Croatian autochthonous kale accessions from the Adriatic basin. A two-factorial experiment with harvest time and kale accession as the main factors was conducted under field conditions. Further, the leaf elemental contents were measured and inter-elemental correlations computed. An analysis of the data revealed that IPT 418 accumulated the highest contents of Ca, Ni, and Li, while IPT 401 was most effective in Mg and Zn accumulation. The accessions IPT 411, IPT 384, and IPT 390 had the highest amounts of P, Mn, and Cr, respectively. Considering the range within the highest and lowest content, the accumulation varied 4-fold for Ca; 1.8-fold for Mg; 1.5-fold for P; 1.5-fold for Mn; 2.5-fold for Ni; 2-fold for Zn; 2.2-fold for Cr; and 1.7-fold for Li. According to the correlation matrix, positive correlations in elemental phytoaccumulation were found between macro- and micronutrients, while negative correlations were observed among macronutrients in most cases. In conclusion, the accessions most efficient in accumulating macro- and micronutrients may be potentially used to address nutrient malnutrition and produce more nutritional kale. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Driving Sustainable Agriculture Through Scientific Innovation)
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21 pages, 3438 KB  
Article
Physicochemical Properties of Biochar Produced from Grapevine-Pruning Residues of 12 Cultivars
by Danko Cvitan, Dominik Anđelini, Melissa Prelac, Qaiser Javed, Zoran Užila, Igor Pasković, Nikola Major, Marko Černe, Smiljana Goreta Ban, Marijan Bubola, Ana Jeromel, Tomislav Karažija, Marko Petek, Ivan Nemet and Igor Palčić
Horticulturae 2026, 12(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12010004 - 19 Dec 2025
Viewed by 375
Abstract
The valorization of grapevine pruning residues through pyrolysis provides a sustainable approach to agricultural waste management, producing biochar with agricultural use potential and carbon sink functionality. This study investigated pruning residues from 12 grapevine cultivars to evaluate the cultivar effects on biochar properties. [...] Read more.
The valorization of grapevine pruning residues through pyrolysis provides a sustainable approach to agricultural waste management, producing biochar with agricultural use potential and carbon sink functionality. This study investigated pruning residues from 12 grapevine cultivars to evaluate the cultivar effects on biochar properties. Samples were collected along the Croatian coast from Istria to Dalmatia and included six indigenous cultivars (Malvazija istarska, Pošip, Maraština, Teran, Plavina, and Plavac mali) and six introduced cultivars (Chardonnay, Pinot blanc, Sauvignon blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah). For each cultivar, residues were collected from three distinct vineyards with three replicates per vineyard. Pyrolysis was conducted in a muffle furnace at 400 °C. The pruning residues showed acidic pH (4.79–5.45), moderate electrical conductivity (1694–2390 µS cm−1), and ash contents of 2.65–3.49% among all cultivars. Significant differences were observed among cultivars in residue carbon content and ash fraction, which were reflected in the resulting biochar. Biochar yield ranged from 32% to 35%, while pH values were alkaline, ranging from 10.20 to 11.13. Total carbon increased from 43.77 to 45.36% in grapevine-pruning residues to 65.88–71.57% in biochar. FT-IR spectra revealed cultivar-dependent variation in aromatic C=C intensification, while SEM analysis indicated differences in pore abundance and surface area (1.63–4.13 m2 g−1) between cultivars. These results demonstrate that carbon-dense cultivars produced biochars with greater structural stability, indicating enhanced resistance to decomposition. Spectroscopic and microscopic analyses consistently showed increased aromatic condensation, reduced aliphatic functionality, and greater porosity following pyrolysis. These cultivar-dependent differences highlight pruning residues as a chemically heterogeneous but predictable feedstock, with biochar properties primarily governed by the intrinsic characteristics of the source material. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Driving Sustainable Agriculture Through Scientific Innovation)
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16 pages, 291 KB  
Article
Comparative Metabolic Fingerprinting of Olive (Olea europaea L.) Cultivars Under Boron Foliar Fertilisation
by Paula Žurga, Marija Polić Pasković, Nikola Major, Smiljana Goreta Ban, Šime Marcelić, Paula Pongrac, Aadil Bajoub, Martina Skendrović Babojelić, Marko Petek and Igor Pasković
Horticulturae 2025, 11(12), 1521; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11121521 - 15 Dec 2025
Viewed by 328
Abstract
Olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars often exhibit genotype-specific responses to micronutrient management. In this study, we investigated the metabolic leaf fingerprinting of three cultivars ‘Rošinjola’, ‘Leccino’, and ‘Istarska bjelica’ at two sampling periods (SP-I = 64 days after treatment (DAT) and SP-II [...] Read more.
Olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars often exhibit genotype-specific responses to micronutrient management. In this study, we investigated the metabolic leaf fingerprinting of three cultivars ‘Rošinjola’, ‘Leccino’, and ‘Istarska bjelica’ at two sampling periods (SP-I = 64 days after treatment (DAT) and SP-II = 118 DAT), following boron foliar fertilisation (+B = 41.62 mM B; −B = 0 mM B) applied 50 days after anthesis. To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide such a detailed evaluation of boron-induced shifts in phenolic metabolism in olive leaves. At harvest (SP-II), all three cultivars showed higher concentrations of total identified phenolic compounds in +B plants compared with the −B controls. Notably, the concentration of verbascoside at harvest was higher in +B plants of ‘Istarska bjelica’ and ‘Leccino’, but not in ‘Rošinjola’. Oleuropein content increased in +B plants at harvest to a level higher than 4870 mg/100 g DW, irrespective of cultivar. Conversely, apigenin-7-glucoside declined from SP-I to SP-II in ‘Leccino’ regardless of treatment, whereas in ‘Istarska bjelica’, this decrease occurred only in control plants, with boron preventing the seasonal decline. These findings confirm the prolonged effect of boron foliar fertilisation on phenolic metabolism in olive leaves and highlight cultivar-specific differences in metabolic responses. Further research is needed to clarify how these metabolic shifts relate to primary plant metabolism and how they influence olive oil quality traits among cultivars grown under Croatian conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Driving Sustainable Agriculture Through Scientific Innovation)
21 pages, 1434 KB  
Article
Integrated Analysis of Olive Mill Wastewaters: Physicochemical Profiling, Antifungal Activity, and Biocontrol Potential Against Botryosphaeriaceae
by Elena Petrović, Karolina Vrandečić, Alen Albreht, Igor Gruntar, Nikola Major, Jasenka Ćosić, Zoran Užila, Smiljana Goreta Ban and Sara Godena
Horticulturae 2025, 11(7), 819; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11070819 - 10 Jul 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1139
Abstract
The disposal of olive mill wastewater (OMWW) poses significant environmental challenges due to its high content of phytotoxic and pollutant compounds. This study aims to explore the chemical composition of OMWW derived from various olive varieties (Buža, Buža puntoža, Istarska bjelica, Leccino, and [...] Read more.
The disposal of olive mill wastewater (OMWW) poses significant environmental challenges due to its high content of phytotoxic and pollutant compounds. This study aims to explore the chemical composition of OMWW derived from various olive varieties (Buža, Buža puntoža, Istarska bjelica, Leccino, and Rosinjola) and assess its antifungal potential against phytopathogenic fungi from the Botryosphaeriaceae family. OMWW samples were analyzed for their physicochemical properties, phenolic composition via LC-MS/MS, and antifungal activity against Botryosphaeria dothidea (Moug. ex Fr.) Ces. & De Not., Diplodia mutila (Fr.) Fr., D. seriata De Not., Dothiorella iberica A.J.L. Phillips, J. Luque & A. Alves, Do. sarmentorum (Fr.) A.J.L. Phillips, Alves & Luque, and Neofusicoccum parvum (Pennycook & Samuels) Crous, Slippers & A.J.L. Phillips. Antifungal efficacy was tested at varying concentrations, alongside the phenolic compounds hydroxytyrosol and vanillic acid. Antifungal activity varied across fungal species and OMWW concentrations. Lower OMWW concentrations inhibited mycelial growth in some pathogens, while higher concentrations often had a stimulatory effect. Among the OMWW treatments, Leccino and Buža showed the most significant antifungal activity against species from the Botryosphaeriaceae family. The results demonstrated significant variability in OMWW composition, with Istarska bjelica exhibiting the highest concentrations of phenolic compounds, sugars, dry matter, and carbon and nitrogen content. The results also highlight the impact of acidification on the phenolic profile of OMWW. Treatment with HCl significantly altered the concentration of individual phenolic compounds, either enhancing their release or contributing to their degradation. Among the two compounds, vanillic acid showed greater efficacy than hydroxytyrosol. In addition, microorganisms isolated from OMWW, including Bacillus velezensis Ruiz-Garcia et al., Rhodotorula mucilaginosa (A. Jörg.) F.C. Harrison, Nakazawaea molendiniolei (N. Cadez, B. Turchetti & G. Peter) C. P. Kurtzman & C. J. Robnett, and Penicillium crustosum Thom, demonstrated antagonistic potential against fungal pathogens, with B. velezensis showing the strongest inhibitory effect. The greatest antagonistic effect against fungi was observed with the species Do. Iberica. The findings highlight the potential of OMWW as a sustainable alternative to chemical fungicides, simultaneously contributing to the management of waste and protection of plants through circular economy principles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Driving Sustainable Agriculture Through Scientific Innovation)
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