Announcements

Conference: Plant Biology Europe 2025

Organization: The Federation of the European Societies of Plant Biology (FESPB) and the Hungarian Society for Plant Biology

Date: 25–28 June 2025

Place: Budapest, Hungary

MDPI journals will be attending Plant Biology Europe 2025 as exhibitors. This meeting will be held at the Budapest Congress Center, Budapest, Hungary, from 25 to 28 June 2025.

The 24th Congress of FESPB will cover both traditional and emerging topics of plant biology across multiple disciplines and scales during the four-day program.

Among the many issues addressed during the meeting, particular emphasis will be placed on challenges caused by climate change since many of these are significant plant stress factors. We are convinced that plant science is green science, and our research can contribute significantly to solving the problems and mitigating the consequences of our changing environment, as well as helping adapt to it.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Plants;
• Agronomy;
• International Journal of Plant Biology (IJPB);
• Current Issues in Molecular Biology (CIMB);
• Horticulturae;
• Epigenomes;
• Genes;
• Proteomes;
• Antioxidants;
• J — Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal;
• Diversity;
• BioTech;
• Cells.

If you will be attending this conference, please feel free to visit our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

We are delighted to present a list of title story articles selected for display at the top of the Horticulturae (ISSN: 2311-7524) homepage for the second half of 2024. These articles cover a wide range of topics, including pre-harvest treatments, quality traits, vegetable landraces, floral volatiles, spectroscopy, artificial lighting, and plant growth regulators, to name a few. We hope you will find something of interest among these exceptional publications.

1. “Role of Pre-Harvest Sorbitol–Calcium Treatments in Controlling Berry Drop in Bagged Table Grapes of the “Doña María” Variety”
by Alberto Guirao, Juan Miguel Valverde, Huertas María Díaz-Mula, Daniel Valero, María Serrano and Domingo Martínez-Romero
Horticulturae 2024, 10(7), 698; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10070698
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/7/698

2. “Comparison of Volatile Organic Compounds, Quality, and Nutritional Parameters from Local Italian and International Apple Cultivars”
by Aurora Cirillo, Natasha D. Spadafora, Lily James-Knight, Richard A. Ludlow, Carsten T. Müller, Lucia De Luca, Raffaele Romano, Hilary J. Rogers and Claudio Di Vaio
Horticulturae 2024, 10(8), 863; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10080863
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/8/863

3. “Fruit Position on Tree Canopy Affects Fruit Quality Traits in ‘Sanguinelli’ Blood Oranges”
by Vicente Serna-Escolano, María José Giménez, María Serrano, Daniel Valero, María Emma García-Pastor, Alicia Dobón-Suarez, María Gutiérrez-Pozo, Marina Giménez-Berenguer and Pedro J. Zapata
Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 949; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090949
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/9/949

4. “The Conservation Varieties Regime: Its Past, Present and Future in the Protection and Commercialisation of Vegetable Landraces in Europe”
by Adriano Didonna, Riccardo Bocci, Massimiliano Renna and Pietro Santamaria
Horticulturae 2024, 10(8), 877; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10080877
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/8/877

5. “Exploration of Thiamin thiazole synthase (THI4) Expression and Transcriptomes Involved in the Floral Volatiles of Caladium bicolor”
by Joo Young Kim, Cindy L. Sigler, Keun H. Cho, Madelyn D. Gennaro, Mara S. Ellsworth and Thomas A. Colquhoun
Horticulturae 2024, 10(8), 810; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10080810
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/8/810

6. “Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy: A Tool for Determining the Harvesting Time of Olive Fruit”
by Marin Krapac, Jerko Gunjača, Barbara Sladonja, Đani Benčić and Karolina Brkić Bubola
Horticulturae 2024, 10(11), 1131; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10111131
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/11/1131

7. “Blue and Red Light Downconversion Film Application Enhances Plant Photosynthetic Performance and Fruit Productivity of Rubus fruticosus L. var. Loch Ness”
by Hafsa El Horri, Maria Vitiello, Alessandra Braca, Marinella De Leo, Lucia Guidi, Marco Landi, Giulia Lauria, Ermes Lo Piccolo, Rossano Massai, Damiano Remorini et al.
Horticulturae 2024, 10(10), 1046; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10101046
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/10/1046

8. “Nutrient Composition of Arugula Leafy Greens Following Application of Ascorbic Acid Foliar Sprays”
by Shivani Kathi, He Liu, Haydee Laza, Leslie Thompson, Sukhbir Singh, Wei Li and Catherine R. Simpson
Horticulturae 2024, 10(11), 1126; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10111126
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/11/1126

9. “Exogenous Application of 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic Acid as a New Strategy to Trigger the Color Development of Table Grapes Grown in Subtropics”
by Aline Cristina de Aguiar, Fábio Yamashita, Renata Koyama, Bruna Evelise Bosso Caetano, Carlos Akira Komoli Utiamada and Sergio Ruffo Roberto
Horticulturae 2024, 10(12), 1276; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10121276
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/12/1276

10. “Gibberellin Treatment Accelerates Starch Decomposition and Seed Germination in Sticky Nightshade (Solanum sisymbriifolium Lam.)”
by Haobo Xu, Danni Mo, Xingyu Zhang, Fangman Li, Jinbao Tao, Pingfei Ge, Yang Yang, Ziyuan Wang and Yuyang Zhang
Horticulturae 2024, 10(12), 1342; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10121342
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/12/1342

We are delighted to present a list of title story articles selected for display at the top of the Horticulturae (ISSN: 2311-7524) homepage for the first half of 2024. These articles cover a wide range of topics, including plant growth, stress responses, in vitro propagation, fertilization strategies, pathogenic fungi, fruit quality evaluation, and robotic harvesting, to name a few. We hope you will find something of interest among these exceptional publications.

1. “Genotype-Specific Response to Silicon Supply in Young Tomato and Unripe Melon Plants Grown in a Floating System”
by Annalisa Somma, Onofrio Davide Palmitessa, Massimiliano D’Imperio, Francesco Serio and Pietro Santamaria
Horticulturae 2024, 10(1), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10010069
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/1/69

2. “Temporary Immersion System as an Innovative Approach for In Vitro Propagation of Sorbus domestica L.”
by Valeria Gianguzzi and Francesco Sottile
Horticulturae 2024, 10(2), 164; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10020164
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/2/164

3. “Enhancing the Yield of Mature Olive Trees via Comparative Fertilization Strategies, including a Foliar Application with Fulvic and Humic Acids, in Non-Irrigated Orchards with Calcareous and Non-Calcareous Soils”
by Stavros Sotiropoulos, Christos Chatzissavvidis, Ioannis E. Papadakis, Victor Kavvadias, Christos Paschalidis, Chrysovalantou Antonopoulou and Sotirios Kiriakopoulos
Horticulturae 2024, 10(2), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10020167
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/2/167

4. “Tomato Accumulates Cadmium to a Concentration Independent of Plant Growth”
by Xingyu Zhang, Cong Zhang and Yuyang Zhang
Horticulturae 2023, 9(12), 1343; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9121343
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/9/12/1343

5. “Active Laser-Camera Scanning for High-Precision Fruit Localization in Robotic Harvesting: System Design and Calibration”
by Kaixiang Zhang, Pengyu Chu, Kyle Lammers, Zhaojian Li and Renfu Lu
Horticulturae 2024, 10(1), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10010040
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/1/40

6. “Selective Retention of Cross-Fertilised Fruitlets during Premature Fruit Drop of Hass Avocado”
by Nimanie S. Hapuarachchi, Wiebke Kämper, Shahla Hosseini Bai, Steven M. Ogbourne, Joel Nichols, Helen M. Wallace and Stephen J. Trueman
Horticulturae 2024, 10(6), 591; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10060591
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/6/591

7. “Sweet Cherry Fruit Firmness Evaluation Using Compression Distance Methods”
by Maria Karageorgiadou, Maria Rodovitou, Elpida Nasiopoulou, Vaia Styliani Titeli and Michail Michailidis
Horticulturae 2024, 10(5), 435; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10050435
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/5/435

8. “Lasiodiplodia iraniensis and Diaporthe spp. Are Associated with Twig Dieback and Fruit Stem-End Rot of Sweet Orange, Citrus sinensis, in Florida”
by Valeria Piattino, Dalia Aiello, Greta Dardani, Ilaria Martino, Mauricio Flores, Srđan G. Aćimović, Davide Spadaro, Giancarlo Polizzi and Vladimiro Guarnaccia
Horticulturae 2024, 10(4), 406; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10040406
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/4/406

9. “Resilient Response to Combined Heat and Drought Stress Conditions of a Tomato Germplasm Collection, Including Natural and Ethyl Methanesulfonate-Induced Variants”
by Rocío Fonseca, Rosa Micol-Ponce, Carmen V. Ozuna, Laura Castañeda, Carmen Capel, Antonia Fernández-Lozano, Ana Ortiz-Atienza, Sandra Bretones, José M. Pérez-Jiménez, Abraham S. Quevedo-Colmena et al.
Horticulturae 2024, 10(6), 552; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10060552
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/6/552

10. “Morphological and Physiological Responses of Weigela florida ‘Eva Rathke’ to Biostimulants and Growth Promoters”
by Dezső Kovács, Katalin Horotán, László Orlóci, Marianna Makádi, István Dániel Mosonyi, Magdolna Sütöri-Diószegi and Szilvia Kisvarga
Horticulturae 2024, 10(6), 582; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10060582
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/6/582

MDPI is pleased to share a significant milestone in its mission to advance scholarly research and promote the dissemination of knowledge—300+ MDPI journals are now indexed in Web of Science (WoS). This milestone highlights the global recognition, interdisciplinary impact and enhanced visibility of our journals. It also reflects our adherence to rigorous editorial standards, scientific integrity, and our mission to foster open scientific exchange in all forms, across all disciplines. 

To explore the full list of our journals indexed in WoS, please visit https://www.mdpi.com/about/journals/wos. Beyond expanding the coverage of our publications in the leading academic databases, we are dedicated to ensuring that our journals are included in as many scope-specific databases as possible. This increases the visibility of our authors’ work and extends the reach of their significant data. 

This milestone would not have been possible without the efforts and expertise of our academic editors, reviewers and authors. Their commitment and collaboration have been instrumental in creating an inclusive, accessible, and impactful publishing platform. We also extend our gratitude to the global research community for their trust as we continue to break new ground in academic publishing. This milestone is not just a celebration of MDPI’s progress but also recognition of the collective strides made by researchers worldwide. 

As we celebrate this remarkable accomplishment, MDPI remains steadfast in its commitment to open access publishing and ensuring that high-quality research reaches and inspires a global audience.

Name: Dr. Umberto Bernardo

Affiliation: CNR, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, 80055 Portici, Italy

The following is a short interview with Dr. Umberto Bernardo:

1. What developments in your field of expertise excite you currently?
I find three key developments in the field of insect pest management particularly exciting at the moment.
First, the increasing presence of invasive species in Europe is a pressing and fascinating challenge. This phenomenon is largely driven by two factors: the rapid increase in international trade and the movement of passengers, along with their luggage, and the significant impact of climate change. These factors are altering climatic conditions and, consequently, the relationships between plants, phytophagous species, and their antagonists. All this is creating the need for profound changes in integrated pest management across several ecosystems.
Second, there is growing recognition that a holistic approach to studying the holobiont insect—considering the insect and its associated microbiota as an integrated unit—is essential. Metagenomic studies on insect microbiota hold immense potential, especially in efforts to manipulate microbial communities to address pest management challenges effectively.
Third, the ongoing and progressive reduction in chemical pesticides available for agricultural use is creating significant challenges. This reduction is affecting the management of both established pests, which are becoming harder to control, and secondary pests, which are emerging as primary threats due to the absence of broad-spectrum chemical interventions. These dynamics are driving the continuous evolution of integrated pest management protocols, often presenting nearly insolvable defense challenges.

2. What topics in your field of expertise do you believe will gain importance in the future?
The topics I highlighted above will undoubtedly continue to gain prominence. However, I believe another area poised for significant growth is the genetic manipulation of plants. While this field currently faces considerable regulatory restrictions, I anticipate a breakthrough in acceptance as science progresses. Ethical considerations will need to be thoroughly evaluated, but history shows that scientific innovation often finds a way forward despite regulatory barriers. Advances in this area could provide transformative solutions to the challenges faced in pest management.

3. The journal is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025. What is your vision for its development?
The growth of MDPI journals, including Horticulturae, has reshaped the publishing landscape. Established publishers and their influential networks have, at times, sought to undermine newer journals by questioning their credibility, often irrespective of the quality of the manuscripts published. Unfortunately, this has been exacerbated by instances where special issues, managed by less-experienced editors, resulted in the publication of subpar scientific studies, sometimes favoring personal connections over merit.
To safeguard and enhance the reputation of Horticolturae, it is essential to prioritize quality control. Reducing the number of special issues and ensuring that experienced editors make the final decisions on publications are critical steps. Over time, these measures will elevate the quality of published papers and strengthen the position of the journal within the scientific community.

4. What do you think about the development of open access in the publishing field?
I am strongly in favor of open access, as it democratizes access to knowledge and accelerates scientific progress. However, a significant barrier remains: many funding agencies do not allocate resources for open-access publishing. To address this, I believe a European regulation should mandate that funding bodies reserve a portion of their grants specifically for open-access publishing. Such a policy would ensure that researchers can share their findings widely without financial constraints.

5. What advice would you offer to young researchers?
My advice to young researchers is to strive for independence and avoid following a leader without developing their skills and expertise. It is essential to learn all aspects of research—from securing funding and writing proposals to executing projects, analyzing data, and drafting manuscripts. Too often, I see promising individuals advancing in their careers within teams led by a dominant leader, suppressing their creativity to gain approval. These researchers often fade into obscurity when their leader retires because they lack the ability to work independently. This type of dependence is both limiting and counterproductive. Focus on producing innovative and high-quality work, as impactful research.

MDPI, a pioneer in scholarly open access publishing, and the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine), Singapore, proudly announce the successful conclusion of the first edition the MDPI Early Career Researcher Awards. The awards, which recognize outstanding contributions to medical and biomedical research, were presented to six exceptional researchers during an awards ceremony held at LKCMedicine HQ Building on 28 November 2024.

Honoring Excellence in Research

The awards recognize exceptional postdoctoral researchers and Ph.D. students who have demonstrated outstanding originality, innovation, and impact in their respective fields. We are honored to announce the winners of the 2024 edition:

Early Career Researcher (Postdoc) Award:

• Dr. Theresia Handayani Mina, “Adiposity and Metabolic Health in Asian Populations: An Epidemiological Study Using Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry in Singapore”;
• Dr. Erfan Rezvani Ghomi, “Wound Healing Improvement by Novel Aligned Antimicrobial Nanofibrous 3D Scaffolds”;
• Dr. Yadollah Ranjbar Slamloo, “Functional Alterations of The Prefrontal Circuit Underlying Cognitive Aging in Mice”.

Early Career Researcher (Ph.D.) Award:

• Pritisha Rozario, “Mechanistic Basis for Potassium Efflux-Driven Activation of the Human NLRP1 Inflammasome”;

• Michelle Law Cheok Yien, “Chikungunya Virus Nonstructural Protein 1 is a Versatile RNA Capping and Decapping Enzyme”;
• Yin Ruoyu, “The Use of Digital Mental Health and Wellbeing Tools in Older Adults: A Mixed Method Study”.

Our collaboration highlights a shared commitment to recognizing exceptional talent and research within the academic community, addressing today’s healthcare challenges, and inspiring continued innovation.

Looking Ahead to 2025

Building on the success of the first edition, MDPI and LKCMedicine are excited to announce that the 2025 MDPI Early Researcher Awards will continue to celebrate excellence and innovation in medical research. The next edition promises to expand its scope, introducing new categories and providing even greater recognition for impactful research.

Further details on the 2025 awards, including nomination criteria and timelines, will be shared in the coming months. We remain committed to fostering a culture of research excellence and collaboration within the global scientific community.

In order to further enhance the international influence of the journal Horticulturae (ISSN: 2311-7524), promote academic exchange among young scientists, and support the Editorial Board with additional expertise, Horticulturae is inviting interested and eligible early career researchers to apply for Early Career Editorial Board (ECEB) membership.

A total of 50 Early Career Editorial Board Members are planned to be recruited. Early Career Editorial Board (ECEB) members will hold the position for two years with the possibility of renewal for a second term.

Application Eligibility:

• Completed their doctorate/Ph.D. degree in the past 10 years (considering exceptions for career interruptions, including medical and family leave);
• Evidence of significant research achievements in the field of horticulture;
• Willingness to dedicate their time to the development of the journal with passion and enthusiasm;
• Active and engaged in their community (e.g., experienced at presenting at academic conferences or involved in professional organizations).

Benefits of Being an Early Career Editorial Board Member:

• A certificate of appointment as an Early Career Editorial Board Member will be issued;
• The achievements of Early Career Editorial Board Members will be publicized on the journal’s media platforms to improve their academic visibility;
• Early Career Editorial Board Members will have the opportunity to be promoted to Editorial Board Member based on their contributions;
• The journal will regularly acknowledge Early Career Editorial Board Members who have participated in the peer-review process on the journal’s webpage;
• Early Career Editorial Board Members will have opportunities to participate in or host annual meetings and online seminars organized by the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board Members;
• Early Career Editorial Board Members who are promoted to Editorial Board Member at the end of the second year may publish one paper free of charge.

Responsibilities of an Early Career Editorial Board Member:

• Publicizing and promoting the journal at academic conferences and among peers;
• Selecting high-quality articles and preparing bilingual media content for promotion;
• Reviewing at least four manuscripts per year;
• Providing input on any new initiatives for journal development;
• Inviting submissions from local and overseas world-leading scientists in respective research fields.

Applications:
Please fill in the application form here.

Please send the application form and your academic resume to horticulturae@mdpi.com with the following subject: “Horticulturae Early Career Editorial Board Application + Name + Institute + Research Expertise”.

Application deadline: 31 May 2025.

Selection Process and Announcement
Initial screening of application materials → selection by the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board Members → email notification → issuing a certificate of appointment.

The editorial team at Horticulturae extends our heartfelt thanks to the dedicated reviewers whose expertise and commitment have been key to the journal's success in 2024. Last year, Horticulturae received 7336 review reports from 3143 reviewers representing 92 countries and regions worldwide.

To recognize the invaluable time, effort, and attention to detail that each reviewer dedicates, Horticulturae expresses its sincere gratitude through an annual acknowledgment of reviewers. Additionally, the journal highlights exceptional contributors by regularly publishing the “Exceptional Reviewer List”. As a further token of appreciation, all reviewers are eligible for the Outstanding Reviewer Award, which honors their essential role in enhancing the quality of our publications.

We are honored to recognize the reviewers who allowed us to publish their names each year. The names of these reviewers are listed below in alphabetical order by first name: