The Effects of Modern Agricultural Management Practices on the Growth, Yield and Fruit Quality of Horticultural and Fruit Plants

Dear Colleagues,

An increasing world population and a steady growth in global food demands suggest that agriculture is called upon to increase production, whilst respecting environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The need for the mitigation and simultaneous adaptation of agricultural systems to climate change is increasingly urgent.

The objectives of the Special Issue, “Effects of Modern Agricultural Management Practices on Growth, Yield and Fruit Quality of Horticultural and Fruit Plants”, are as follows:

(ì) to evaluate the effects of single or combined cultural techniques on the yield and quality characteristics of the products of horticultural and fruit crops;

(ìì) to evaluate the vegetative growth, yield, and fruit quality in modern intensive planting systems;

(iiì) to investigate the possible interaction in a warming climate between different techniques of deficit irrigation and fertilization and/or other cultivation techniques in crops to better understand their benefits.

Furthermore, it is important to consider the opportunities that are available in order to implement a wide variety of adaptation levers to improve the management of horticultural and fruit crops in future climatic conditions.

High-quality full research articles and comprehensive reviews can be submitted. Papers chosen for publication will be selected by a rigorous peer-review procedure with the aim of rapidly disseminating the research results.

Key topics in this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Planting systems for modern fruit crops growing;
• Cultivation techniques and fruit quality;    
• Sustainable agricultural practices of horticultural and fruit crops;
• Cover crop management in orchards and vineyards;
• The irrigation of crops under water scarcity scenario;
• The reuse of urban and agro-industrial wastewater;
• The effect of different irrigation management techniques (e.g., regular deficit irrigation—RDI, partial drying of the root zone—PRD, and water reuse ) on horticultural and fruit crops;
• Research on optimizing water management in crops, including the use of novel technologies (modeling and remote sensing);
• Biostimulants vs. fertilizers;
• A better understanding of the synergistic use of irrigation and biostimulants on horticultural and fruit crops;
• Crop cultivation underneath agro-photovoltaic systems;
• Medicinal and aromatic plants in the food sector or in modern and traditional medicine;
• Evaluation of the use of precision viticulture technology in order to optimize the use of resources.

Dr. Annalisa Tarantino
Dr. Grazia Disciglio
Guest Editors

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