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A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Medicinals, Herbs, and Specialty Crops".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 February 2023) | Viewed by 57081

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Prof. Dr. Silvana Nicola

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Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, DISAFA, Horticulture and Landscape, University of Turin, UNITO, Largo Paolo Braccini, 2 (TO), Grugliasco, 10095 Torino, Italy
Interests: horticultural sciences; advanced production systems; protected cultivations; urban horticulture; postharvest of fresh produce
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Dr. Katerina Grigoriadou

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Laboratory of Protection and Evaluation of Native and Floricultural Species, Balkan Botanic Garden of Kroussia, Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, Hellenic Agricultural Organization (HAO)-DEMETER, P.C. 570 01 Thermi, P.O. Box 60458 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: plant propagation; in vitro culture; micropropagation; production of secondary metabolites in vitro; medicinal plants; ex situ conservation; native flora
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Dr. Christoph Schunko

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Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Strasse 33, 1180 Wien, Austria
Interests: organic farming; wild plants; ethnobotany; local and traditional knowledge
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

For this Special Issue on New Trends and Innovations in Medicinals, Herbs, and Specialty Crops, we welcome full reviews, mini-reviews, and opinion articles related to wild and domesticated species considered relevant as herbs, botanicals, and any other special use in horticulture, including the utilization of their residues for their bioactive compounds. Reviews featuring wild harvesting, propagation techniques, cultivation methods, advanced production techniques, value chain establishment, and waste and byproduct utilizations are welcome. Issues related to biodiversity, phytogenetic resources, conservation, and breeding may also be presented .

Prof. Dr. Silvana Nicola
Dr. Katerina Grigoriadou
Dr. Christoph Schunko
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.

Keywords

medicinal and aromatic plants
genome analysis
horticulture
phytogenetic resources
biodiversity
seed germination
sustainability
micropropagation
cuttings
organic farming
phenolic compounds
antioxidant activity
essential oil
secondary metabolites
value chain analysis
paths
strategy
byproduct valorization
green extractions
bound phenolics
value addition
residual biomass
quality assurance
domestication
wild plant gathering
phenotyping
breeding
genebanks

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 264 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Plant Growth and the Contents of Major Bioactive Compounds of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge Grown in Mississippi, United States

by Zhiheng Xing, Guihong Bi, Tongyin Li, Qianwen Zhang and Patricia R. Knight

Horticulturae 2023, 9(3), 310; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9030310 - 27 Feb 2023

Viewed by 2320

Abstract

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (danshen) is a traditional herbal medicine and has been widely used to prevent and treat cardiovascular and other diseases. Currently, the majority of medicinal plants, including danshen, used in the United States are imported from foreign countries, which often involves challenges such as inconsistency in contents of bioactive compounds and inadequate supply of high quality plant materials to meet market demand. The objective of this study was to evaluate plant growth and the contents of major bioactive compounds of three selected danshen cultivars and identify cultivars with the greatest potential for commercial production in Mississippi. Results showed that danshen plants can grow well in Mississippi and the three cultivars evaluated had similar growth indices, leaf SPAD values, photosynthetic activities, shoot and root dry weights, and root numbers, but differed in germination rates, maximum root lengths, and maximum root diameters. The major bioactive compounds in danshen root extracts, including tanshinone I, tanshinone IIA, cryptotanshinone, and salvianolic acid B, were quantified with no significant difference in their contents among the three cultivars. Results from this study suggested that danshen has the potential to be grown as an alternative crop in Mississippi, USA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends and Innovations in Medicinals, Herbs, and Specialty Crops)

12 pages, 2711 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of the Culture System and Harvest Time on the Specialized Metabolite Composition of Rocket Salad (Eruca sativa) Leaves

by Ivon Buitrago-Villanueva, Ricardo Barbosa-Cornelio and Ericsson Coy-Barrera

Horticulturae 2023, 9(2), 235; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9020235 - 9 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2347

Abstract

Eruca sativa is a leafy vegetable widely consumed fresh in salads and recognized for the presence of bioactive compounds, such as glucosinolates (GLS) and flavonols. This plant is traditionally cultivated in soils but adapts well to soilless cultures, such as hydroponics and aquaponics. However, despite the good results in the literature on E. sativa cultivation in soilless systems, the influence of the culture systems and harvest time on the specialized metabolite-based chemical composition of E. sativa leaves is not entirely understood. Based on the above, this study aimed to evaluate the specialized metabolite composition of three different cultivation types, i.e., using soil (SCS), nutrient film technique (NFT)-based hydroponic (HCS), and aquaponic (ACS) culture systems, along three growing cycles, and collected at two commercial harvest times, i.e., 21 days after transplanting (DAT) to get early plant material, namely “baby leaf”, and 42 DAT as the traditional harvest time. The chemical composition was obtained by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and multivariate statistics supported the analysis of the whole dataset. The SCS was characterized to promote an important accumulation of two antioxidant flavonols, i.e., (kaempferol and isorhamnetin diglucopyranosides) in young leaves (21 DAT). The hydroponically-grown plants exhibited a smaller number of various compounds. The ACS-cultivated leaves accumulated indole-containing glucosinolates and a marker associated with harvest time, spirobrassinin, a cruciferous oxindoline phytoalexin. These findings constitute the first report of those compounds relevantly accumulated by the effect of soilless cultures and a starting point for further studies related to the metabolite regulation of E. sativa under hydroponics and aquaponics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends and Innovations in Medicinals, Herbs, and Specialty Crops)

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12 pages, 2505 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Extraction Optimization of Crocin from Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis)Fruits Using Response Surface Methodology and Quality Evaluation of Foam-Mat Dried Powder

by Nguyen Minh Thuy, Pham Huynh Nhu, Ngo Van Tai and Vo Quang Minh

Horticulturae 2022, 8(12), 1199; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8121199 - 15 Dec 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2669

Abstract

The crocin in gardenia, as a medical plant, has drawnthe attention of researchers and scientists due to its color and high antioxidant activity. To optimize the extraction parameters of crocin from gardenia fruits, response surface methodology (RSM) was employed.The effects of four independent variables, namely extraction temperature (45–55 °C), time (40–60 min), percentage of gardenia fruits(15–25%), and ethanol concentration (50–60%),on a crocin compound were investigated. The extract from the gardenia fruit was dried at different temperatures (55–70 °C) by the foam-mat drying method. The optimal extraction parameters were an extraction temperature of 55 °C, time of 57 min, percent of fruits in solvent at 24%, and an ethanol concentration of 56%. The results showed that the dried gardenia powder had maintained the crocin content well(6.64 mg/g), and the product with low water activity and moisture content of 0.33 and 5.72%, respectively, is suitable for storage. The foam-mat dried product also maintains the natural color and characteristics inherent in the raw materials, which could also be used as supplemental ingredients for other food industries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends and Innovations in Medicinals, Herbs, and Specialty Crops)

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17 pages, 1370 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Evolution of Phytochemical Variation in Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) Organs during Different Phenological Stages

by Saeid Hazrati, Seyyed Jaber Hosseini, Mohammad-Taghi Ebadi and Silvana Nicola

Horticulturae 2022, 8(9), 757; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8090757 - 23 Aug 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2554

Abstract

Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) is an important medicinal plant, of which all parts have pharmaceutical and nutritional applications and which is distributed throughout the southwest regions of Iran. The aerial parts of myrtle were collected at different phenological stages (vegetative, flowering, unripe fruit and ripening fruit stages, after the fully mature fruit dispersal stage) from Fars Province of Iran and were analyzed with GC–FID and GC–MS. All the data were submitted to multivariate statistical analysis, showing many differences among the various plant parts and their phenological stages. Monoterpene hydrocarbons (18.9–50.5%) and oxygenated monoterpenes (38.2–72.4%) were the most abundant class in the volatile emissions, with α-pinene, 1,8-cineole, limonene, linalool, α-terpineol, linalyl acetate and geranyl acetate being the main constituents in the majority of the examined samples. α-Pinene content ranged from 8.88% at the after fully mature fruit dispersal stage (leaves) to 32.84% at the flowering stage in the leaves. Limonene, which is the dominant component at the flowering stage, was 23.97% in the flowers, while the limonene amount was 0.14–1.42% at other harvest stages. The greatest 1,8-cineole amount was obtained prior to flowering, 45.98%, while the lowest amount was obtained at the flowering stage, in the flowers. The total phenol and flavonoid contents varied between different myrtle parts: the highest total phenol and flavonoid contents were obtained for the extract made of the before-flowering stage in leaves (66.52 mg GAE/g and 7.49 mg QE/g extracts). Overall, the study indicated that collecting myrtle at the vegetative and flowering stages, especially the leaves organs, would be of considerable importance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends and Innovations in Medicinals, Herbs, and Specialty Crops)

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13 pages, 1905 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Elevated CO₂ during Low Temperature Storage on the Quality Attributes of Cut Spearmint

by Sarana Rose Sommano, Pattarapol Khamsaw, Hien Van Doan, Ratchadawan Cheewangkoon, Maria Luisa Amodio, Maria Lucia Valeria De Chiara, Leonarda Mastrandrea, Sandra Pati and Giancarlo Colelli

Horticulturae 2022, 8(2), 126; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8020126 - 30 Jan 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2864

Abstract

The effect of elevated CO₂ in a controlled atmospheric condition (CA) on the quality attributes of fresh-cut spearmint (Mentha spicata) during refrigerated storage is investigated in the present study. Cut stems of spearmint were exposed to the continuous flow of humidified air enriched with 0 (as a control), 5, 10 and 20% CO₂ during storage at 5 °C. Weight loss, leaf colour, total phenols, antioxidant activity, aromatic profile, ascorbic acid, ethanol, ammonia and ethanol-acetaldehyde concentrations were measured before and after storage for 5, 10 and 14 days. Over time, CO₂ treatments increased the weight loss, surface colour, L* (from white to black) and b* (from blue to yellow) values, but lowered a* (from green to red). When compared to fresh spearmint, the lowest CO₂ concentration was able to maintain the overall colour variations. The 20% CO₂ treatment showed significant declines in the total phenolic content, antioxidant potential and low appearance score after 10 days, thus its quality assessment was terminated. Vitamin C levels decreased with time in all the treatments, although the 10% and 20% CO₂ treatments had the lowest levels. The toxicity of the cell structures detected by the ammonia content increased and was significantly higher in all CO₂ treatments. Storage in the CA with the gas composition at 5% preserved the aromatic profiles similar to those stored in air. In conclusion, increased CO₂ did not improve the storability of fresh cut spearmint held at low temperatures, and the 20% gas composition had a significant negative impact on the visual quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends and Innovations in Medicinals, Herbs, and Specialty Crops)

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21 pages, 1971 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Pheno-Morphological and Essential Oil Composition Responses to UVA Radiation and Protectants: A Case Study in Three Thymus Species

by Hasan Mumivand, Alireza Shayganfar, Georgios Tsaniklidis, Zohreh Emami Bistgani, Dimitrios Fanourakis and Silvana Nicola

Horticulturae 2022, 8(1), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8010031 - 29 Dec 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2571

Abstract

Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation mainly includes UVA (320–400 nm). UVA intensity varies depending on the season and geographic location, while it is projected to rise owing to climate change. Since it elicits secondary metabolism, additional knowledge on the UVA dependence of phytochemical production is required for both farmers and processors, particularly under natural settings. In this field study, the pheno-morphological traits and essential oil composition responses to UVA intensity were addressed in three Thymus species [T. daenensis (endemic to Iran), T. fedtschenkoi (semi-endemic), T. vulgaris (common thyme)]. During growth, three UVA levels (ambient, enriched, excluded) were realized in combination with spraying protectants [water (control), melatonin, glutathione, iron-zinc nanofertilizer]. In T. daenensis, enriched UVA caused early flowering. The height of T. daenensis was the longest under enriched UVA, and the shortest under excluded UVA. In control plants, enriched and excluded UVA stimulated the accumulation of oxygenated metabolites in T. daenensis and T. fedtschenkoi. Altogether, under enriched UVA some phenolic compounds (e.g., thymol, carvacrol, γ-terpinene) increased in the essential oil of all three species, but others decreased. In all taxa, glutathione caused a significant essential oil content reduction. Iron-zinc nanofertilizer increased essential oil accumulation in T. daenensis and T. vulgaris. Treatments also induced an alteration of the essential oil composition. In conclusion, cultivation regime effects on the essential oil quality (composition) and quantity were strongly species dependent. T. deanensis underwent the most consistent enhancement under UVA, making the species more adaptable to climate change, whereas T. fedtschenkoi the least. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends and Innovations in Medicinals, Herbs, and Specialty Crops)

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26 pages, 465 KiB

Open AccessReview

Hydroponic Cultivation of Medicinal Plants—Plant Organs and Hydroponic Systems: Techniques and Trends

by Hallam R. Atherton and Pomin Li

Horticulturae 2023, 9(3), 349; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9030349 - 7 Mar 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 12773

Abstract

Medicinal plants are a globally important resource for the treatment of disease and improvement of human health, and the only form of healthcare used by millions of people. Currently, the status of many medicinal species is threatened by overharvesting caused by increasing demand. While many species have been cultivated in soil, the resulting material often contains lower levels of medicinal compounds than that of wild-harvested plants. Hydroponic cultivation of medicinal plants may provide sustainable access, with research demonstrating increased secondary metabolite content in some species compared to both wild and soil-grown plants. There are a variety of hydroponic systems and techniques available, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. As medicinal compounds are often localised within specific plant organs, selecting hydroponic systems that maximise the yield of the desired organs and metabolites is necessary. However, as of yet there has been no attempt to examine the literature with regards to the cultivation of specific plant organs of medicinal plants in hydroponics. This article explores the use of different hydroponic systems to cultivate medicinal plants and how the choice of system differs depending on the desired plant organ, as well as highlighting studies with novel outcomes that may provide value to the field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends and Innovations in Medicinals, Herbs, and Specialty Crops)

32 pages, 1248 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Biological and Agronomic Traits of the Main Halophytes Widespread in the Mediterranean Region as Potential New Vegetable Crops

by Tiziana Lombardi, Andrea Bertacchi, Laura Pistelli, Alberto Pardossi, Susanna Pecchia, Annita Toffanin and Chiara Sanmartin

Horticulturae 2022, 8(3), 195; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8030195 - 23 Feb 2022

Cited by 53 | Viewed by 9088

Abstract

Salinity is one of the oldest and most serious environmental problems in the world. The increasingly widespread salinization of soils and water resources represents a growing threat to agriculture around the world. A strategy to cope with this problem is to cultivate salt-tolerant crops and, therefore, it is necessary to identify plant species that are naturally adapted to high-salinity conditions. In this review, we focus our attention on some plant species that can be considered among the most representative halophytes of the Mediterranean region; they can be potential resources, such as new or relatively new vegetable crops, to produce raw or minimally processed (or ready-to-eat) products, considering their nutritional properties and nutraceuticals. The main biological and agronomic characteristics of these species and the potential health risks due to mycotoxigenic fungi have been analyzed and summarized in a dedicated section. The objective of this review is to illustrate the main biological and agronomical characteristics of the most common halophytic species in the Mediterranean area, which could expand the range of leafy vegetables on the market. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends and Innovations in Medicinals, Herbs, and Specialty Crops)

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15 pages, 466 KiB

Open AccessReview

Constraints to Cultivation of Medicinal Plants by Smallholder Farmers in South Africa

by Ifeoma Nwafor, Christopher Nwafor and Idah Manduna

Horticulturae 2021, 7(12), 531; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7120531 - 1 Dec 2021

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 6145

Abstract

Growing demand for therapeutic products from indigenous medicinal plants has led to increased interest in its cultivation, which presents a viable option for improving smallholder farmers’ livelihoods, as well as sustaining the availability of these resources for future generations. Serious bottlenecks however exist for subsistent farmers in the cultivation of these valuable plants. It was pertinent to probe whether the cultivation of medicinal plants provides feasible solutions to rural poverty, while effectively conserving threatened indigenous biodiversity. The paper employed a comprehensive review of existing literature to explore issues constraining smallholder farmers from involvement in a potentially lucrative plant value chain. Findings indicate challenges such as inadequate domestication of valuable plants species, continued over-harvesting from wild populations, poor knowledge of required agronomic practices, low efficacy perception regarding derivatives from cultivated plants, among others. These constraints occur alongside the conservation-oriented strategy driven by international conservation agencies and wholly adopted by the South African government. Recommendations to improve smallholder involvement in the cultivation of medicinal plants include support to research and extension, targeted inducement to smallholders, contracting and off-take agreements, aimed at promoting an alternative poverty-alleviation-focused economic development strategy. The review adds to the conceptual discourse related to plant diversity, resource conservation, poverty alleviation, and economic development Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends and Innovations in Medicinals, Herbs, and Specialty Crops)

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12 pages, 1260 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceReview

Horseradish: A Neglected and Underutilized Plant Species for Improving Human Health

by Stuart Alan Walters

Horticulturae 2021, 7(7), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7070167 - 29 Jun 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 11988

Abstract

Horseradish is a flavorful pungent herb that has been used for centuries to enhance the flavor of food, aid in digestion, and improve human health. Horseradish is a neglected and underutilized plant species (NUS), especially concerning the potential benefits to improve human health. The roots of this plant have been known for centuries to provide effective treatments for various human health disorders and has a long history of use in traditional medicine. Horseradish is a source of many biologically active compounds and its richness in phytochemicals has encouraged its recent use as a functional food. The medicinal benefits of horseradish are numerous, and this plant should be promoted more as being beneficial for human health. Glucosinolates or their breakdown products, isothiocyanates, are responsible for most of the claimed medicinal effects. Recent studies have suggested that glucosinolates provide prevention and inhibitory influences on different types of cancer, and horseradish contains high amounts of these compounds. Other medicinal benefits of horseradish include its well-known antibacterial properties that are also attributed to isothiocyanates, and its high content of other antioxidants that benefit human health. Additionally, horseradish contains enzymes that stimulate digestion, regulate bowel movement, and reduce constipation. Horseradish is a species that is vastly underexploited for its abilities as a medicinal plant species for improving human health. The health promoting effects of horseradish are numerous and should be used in an extensive marketing campaign to improve consumption habits. Consumers need to be made more aware of the tremendous health benefits of this plant, which would most likely increase consumption of this valuable NUS. Although horseradish is a highly versatile plant species and holds great potential for improving human health, this plant can also be used to enhance biodiversity in landscapes and food systems, which will also be briefly discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends and Innovations in Medicinals, Herbs, and Specialty Crops)

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