Molecular Regulatory Mechanisms During Fruit Development and Ripening: Implications for Texture and Quality

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to announce the launch of this Special Issue of Horticulturae, dedicated to advancing our understanding of the Molecular Regulatory Mechanisms During Fruit Development and Ripening: Implications for Texture and Quality, with a particular emphasis on their implications for fruit texture and quality.

Fruit development and ripening are complex biological processes influenced by genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. Unraveling the molecular networks that regulate these processes is crucial for improving fruit traits such as texture, flavor, nutritional content, and shelf-life. This Special Issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research and reviews that explore the genetic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic aspects of fruit biology, with a focus on identifying key regulators and their functional roles.

We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that address, but are not limited to, the following topics:

• Genetic and epigenetic regulation of fruit ripening;
• Hormonal control of fruit development and texture modification;
• Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of ripening-related changes;
• Metabolic pathways influencing fruit quality attributes;
• Biotechnological approaches for enhancing fruit shelf-life and quality;
• Environmental and postharvest factors affecting ripening dynamics.

We invite researchers and scholars to contribute their work to this Special Issue, which will serve as a platform for sharing innovative findings and fostering collaboration in the field. All submissions will undergo a rigorous peer-review process to ensure high scientific quality and relevance.

Dr. Hao Zhang
Dr. Ying Zhang
Dr. Lin Guo
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.