Genetic and Environmental Factors Influencing the Growth of Horticultural Crops

Dear Colleagues,

Plants are shaped by their genetic makeup and the environment. Genetic makeup determines inherited traits, while environmental factors affect plant growth and development. A large group of plants are produced as horticultural crops; these include vegetables, fruits, ornamentals, culinary herbs and spices, medicinal and aromatic plants. Horticultural crops are sustained in a wide range of environments using different cultural practices. Vegetables, fruits, culinary herbs and spices are mainly consumed as fresh products, and their yield, freshness and nutritional value are critical to consumers. Ornamental plants are produced for their beauty and display, placing their overall quality as key for attracting attention. Environmental factors that affect plant growth and development include light, temperature, air, humidity, soil, water, nutrients, pollutants and plant growth regulators, as well as insects and beneficials or detrimental microbes. Diverse production conditions can substantially affect the growth and overall quality of horticultural crops. Some of these production environments include open fields or greenhouses using fertile soils, hilly mountainous terrains using marginal soils, and containers filled with soilless substrates positioned either outdoors or under a controlled environment. This Special Issue is intended to publish manuscripts concerning genetic and environmental factors influencing horticultural crop growth at morphological, physiological and molecular levels. Both research and review manuscripts addressing these concerns, including crop responses to abiotic and biotic stresses, are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Jianjun Chen
Prof. Dr. Xiangying Wei
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. Agriculture 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 2600 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.

• abiotic and biotic stresses
• cultural practices
• environmental factors
• fruit
• herbs
• horticultural crops
• medicinal plants
• plant growth and development
• ornamental plants
• vegetables