New Advances in Secondary Metabolism of Vegetable Crops

Dear Colleagues,

Vegetables are a key component of human nutrition, not only providing essential nutrients but also contributing bioactive compounds from secondary metabolism. These compounds, including carotenoids, flavonoids, and glucosinolates, are vital for various physiological processes such as plant growth, stress tolerance, and the enhancement of sensory and nutritional quality. Their production and regulation are influenced by both genetic factors and environmental stimuli, as well as postharvest conditions. While advances in model species have expanded our understanding of secondary metabolism, there remains a significant need for more focused research on vegetable crops.

Despite significant progress in traditional horticultural practices, the detailed molecular mechanisms that regulate the biosynthesis and regulation of secondary metabolites in vegetables remain underexplored. However, recent advances in molecular biology, such as next-generation sequencing, multi-omics (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics), and gene-editing technologies (CRISPR), have opened new avenues for understanding how these compounds are regulated and how they contribute to plant performance and quality.

For this Special Issue, we invite submissions of original research, reviews, short communications, and perspectives that focus on the role of secondary metabolites in vegetables. Topics of interest include the regulation of secondary metabolite biosynthesis, their contribution to plant development and stress resistance, and the integration of advanced molecular techniques with traditional cultivation practices. We especially encourage studies that explore how these compounds can be manipulated to improve crop yield, quality, and resistance, providing new insights into vegetable production.

Prof. Dr. Bo Sun
Dr. Xuena Yu
Dr. Kehao Liang
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.

• vegetables
• secondary metabolites
• biosynthesis, degradation, and regulation
• whole-genome resequencing
• transcriptomics
• proteomics
• metabolomics
• gene editing
• gene regulation
• growth and development
• yield
• quality
• resistance