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Horticulturae
Special Issues
Orchard Management: Strategies for Yield and Quality
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Orchard Management: Strategies for Yield and Quality

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Fruit Production Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2025 | Viewed by 2601

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sebastian Przybyłko

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pomology and Horticulture Economics, Institute of Horticultural Sciences SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159 Str., 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: apple quality; crop load management; plant nutrition; fertilization; orchard floor management systems; sustainable fruit production; cultivar and rootstock interaction; training systems
Dr. Ioannis E. Papadakis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Pomology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece
Interests: plant nutrition and fertilization; abiotic stresses (nutrient deficiencies, drought, salinity, waterlogging, etc.); sexual and asexual propagation of fruit tree species; evaluation of fruit tree cultivars and rootstock; effect of various cultural practices on tree yield and fruit quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fruit production is a complex process influenced by various environmental, genetic, cultural, and management factors. Meeting rising consumer expectations and stringent market standards while ensuring long-term sustainability and productivity poses significant challenges. Therefore, optimizing both yield and fruit quality requires reliable and precise orchard management based on up-to-date knowledge. The key strategies include selecting appropriate cultivars and rootstocks, optimizing the planting density and orchard architecture, crop load management, implementing tailored fertilization and irrigation practices, and using plant hormones, biostimulants, and supportive tools based on numerical models. This Special Issue aims to collect cutting-edge research papers on modern fruit-growing practices, providing insights into advanced techniques for enhancing effective high-quality fruit production.

Dr. Sebastian Przybyłko
Dr. Ioannis E. Papadakis
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

  • fruit growing
  • quality
  • high-yielded systems
  • orchard architecture
  • rootstocks
  • fertilization
  • irrigation strategies
  • crop load management

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1988 KiB  
Article
Integrating Soil, Leaf, Fruitlet, and Fruit Nutrients, Along with Fruit Quality, to Predict Post-Storage Quality of Staccato Sweet Cherries
by Mehdi Sharifi, William Wolk, Keyvan Asefpour Vakilian, Hao Xu, Stephanie Slamka and Karen Fong
Horticulturae 2024, 10(11), 1230; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10111230 - 20 Nov 2024
Viewed by 529
Abstract
Predicting the post-storage quality of cherry fruits is crucial for determining their suitability for long-distance shipping or domestic distribution. This study aimed to forecast key quality attributes of Staccato sweet cherries after storage, simulating shipping conditions, by analyzing spring soil, leaf, fruitlet, and [...] Read more.
Predicting the post-storage quality of cherry fruits is crucial for determining their suitability for long-distance shipping or domestic distribution. This study aimed to forecast key quality attributes of Staccato sweet cherries after storage, simulating shipping conditions, by analyzing spring soil, leaf, fruitlet, and at-harvest data from thirty orchards in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, over two years. A support vector machine (SVM) was used to predict post-storage variables, with pre-harvest and at-harvest data selected by a genetic algorithm. The SVM accurately predicted soluble solids (R2 = 0.88), firmness (R2 = 0.83), and acidity (R2 = 0.79) after four weeks of storage, as well as visual disorders like slip skin and stem browning. Spring soil properties (Ca, Mg), leaf (N, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, B), and fruitlet data (N, Ca, Mg, B) were key predictors. Leaf Ca was vital for firmness and total soluble solids (TSS) prediction, while N in leaves and fruitlets influenced firmness, acidity, and disorders. Leaf Zn helped predict weight and acidity/TSS ratio, and Mg impacted fruit color. Pre-harvest leaf nutrition measured 3–4 weeks before harvest, proved most effective in predicting post-storage quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Orchard Management: Strategies for Yield and Quality)
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16 pages, 1947 KiB  
Article
Variability Assessment of Banana Cultivars and Intercropping with Lemongrass Based on Fruit Quality Indicators
by Paulo Ricardo Rodrigues de Jesus, Magali Leonel, Sarita Leonel, Hebert Teixeira Cândido, Lucas Felipe dos Ouros, Erval Rafael Damatto Junior and Edson Shigueaki Nomura
Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 962; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090962 - 10 Sep 2024
Viewed by 726
Abstract
Bananas are one of the most consumed fruits in the world and are essential for food security and in the agricultural economy. Their sustainable production is vital for many communities. Herein, the effects of banana cultivars, cropping systems (monocropping and intercropping with lemongrass), [...] Read more.
Bananas are one of the most consumed fruits in the world and are essential for food security and in the agricultural economy. Their sustainable production is vital for many communities. Herein, the effects of banana cultivars, cropping systems (monocropping and intercropping with lemongrass), and the interaction between these factors on the physicochemical characteristics of ripe and unripe fruit were evaluated. The intercropping of bananas with lemongrass did not alter the main quality indicators of the fruit. The ripe fruits of the SCS451 Catarina cultivar stood out for their higher fruit mass, pulp/peel ratio, and firmness, while the fruits of the Prata Anã and BRS FHIA Maravilha cultivars had the highest SS, SS/TA ratio, pH, and reducing and total sugars. The cultivar SCS451 Catarina had the highest mineral content in the unripe fruit, and for all cultivars, the order of mineral levels was K > N > Mg > P > Ca > Fe > Zn. The higher content of total and resistant starch in the unripe fruit of the Prata Anã and BRS FHIA Maravilha cultivars, combined with the characteristics of the ripe fruit, make them suitable for both fresh consumption and industrial use. Diversifying cultivars improves the quality of banana fruit, and intercropping with lemongrass can be a sustainable method of managing banana fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Orchard Management: Strategies for Yield and Quality)
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23 pages, 3864 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Planting Density, Training System and Cultivar on Vegetative Growth and Fruit Production in Young Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Trees
by Paula T. Ibell, Frédéric Normand, Carole L. Wright, Kare Mahmud and Ian S. E. Bally
Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 937; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090937 - 2 Sep 2024
Viewed by 900
Abstract
Increasing the planting density of mango orchards appears promising for obtaining higher yields, particularly during the first productive years. However, the challenge is to maintain a good balance between vegetative growth and fruit production in the longer term. The objective of this study [...] Read more.
Increasing the planting density of mango orchards appears promising for obtaining higher yields, particularly during the first productive years. However, the challenge is to maintain a good balance between vegetative growth and fruit production in the longer term. The objective of this study was to decipher the effects of planting density, training system and cultivar on young mango trees’ growth and production. The experiment, conducted in North Queensland, consisted of five combinations of planting density and training system applied to the cultivars Keitt, Calypso and NMBP-1243. The planting densities were low (208 tree ha−1), medium (416 tree ha−1) and high (1250 tree ha−1). The closed vase conventional training system was applied at each density. Single leader and espalier on trellis training systems were applied at medium and high densities, respectively. The tree canopy dimensions were measured every 6 months from planting, and tree production was recorded from the third to the fifth years after planting. Vegetative growth and fruit production were the results of complex interactions between planting density, training system, cultivar and/or time. The expected increase in orchard yield with higher planting density was observed from the first productive year, despite lower individual tree production at high planting density. Lower vegetative growth and fruit production at high planting density were probably caused by competition between trees. NMBP-1243 and Keitt showed more rapid vegetative growth. Keitt was the most productive cultivar during the first three productive years. The detailed results of this study provide avenues to further explore the behaviour of mango trees at high planting densities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Orchard Management: Strategies for Yield and Quality)
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