Emerging Trends and Progress in Postharvest Management: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Quality Preservation, Loss Reduction, and Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

Research in postharvest physiology has grown significantly over the past few decades, as evidenced by the increasing number of scientific publications focusing on biology, physiology, and technology. To further advance this field, several important issues and gaps need to be explored. These include the development of innovative storage technologies to optimize conditions such as temperature and humidity to extend the shelf life and preserve the quality of emerging crops. Understanding the mechanisms for maintaining and enhancing sensory qualities of products during storage and transport is also key. In parallel, research should aim at strategies to mitigate postharvest diseases and disorders, such as the development of organic fungicides, and the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying senescence and ripening processes. Meeting sustainability challenges, understanding consumer preferences, and integrating new technologies such as artificial intelligence into postharvest practices are also critical to advancing the field and improving agricultural productivity and food security.

In this Special Issue, we welcome articles (original research papers, reviews, opinions, perspectives, and methods) focusing on these elements across various levels, including transcriptome analysis, proteome studies, metabolome investigations, grafting biology, and postharvest biology.

Dr. Arturo Duarte Sierra
Prof. Dr. Martín-Ernesto Tiznado-Hernández
Guest Editors

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• postharvest physiology
• storage technologies
• artificial intelligence