Bioresource for Sustainable Cultivation of Medicinal Herbs

Dear Colleagues,

The increasing global demand for herbal-based healthcare has led to a significant shift from wild harvesting to large-scale artificial cultivation of medicinal herbs. However, this intensive cultivation mode, marked by the heavy reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, as well as the shortened cultivation cycles due to economic cost pressures, often compromises the quality and efficacy of herb products.

This Special Issue,  Bioresource for Sustainable Cultivation of Medicinal Herbs, highlights novel bio-based technologies for regulating soil, water, and nutrients. We focus on emerging strategies such as microbial inoculants, biochar, bio-organic fertilizers, and new biostimulants, particularly on their roles in improving soil health, water-use efficiency, and sustainable nutrient management. We invite studies on the following topics from the perspectives of plant physiological ecology and multi-omics:

• The influence of bioresources on the medicinal plant growth and the accumulation of secondary metabolites;
• The molecular mechanisms through which bioresources modulate medicinal plant quality;
• Interactions between soil microbiomes and medicinal plants.

The issue aims to elucidate the scientific principles underlying the production of high-quality medicinal herbs without compromising yield, thereby providing practical solutions for sustainable cultivation systems.

Dr. Shuran He
Dr. Miaoyin Dong
Prof. Dr. Jun-Wen Chen
Guest Editors

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