Recent progress in Horticultural Science Research

Advancements in horticultural technologies and practices are critical for meeting global food security needs while ensuring environmental sustainability [1]. Horticulture, the art and science of cultivating fruits, vegetables, flowers, and ornamental plants, has witnessed remarkable advancements in recent years. Researchers worldwide are dedicated to enhancing crop productivity, quality, and sustainability. In this article, we delve into the exciting developments in horticultural research, shedding light on the green revolution that awaits us.

1. Genome Editing for Horticultural Crops

Unlocking Genetic Potential

Horticultural crops harbor a multitude of beneficial attributes for human use. Research focus has shifted to horticultural crops with the goal of not only boosting production and quality but also resilience and sustainability [2]. Genome editing technologies, particularly the CRISPR/Cas9 system, have transformed horticulture. Scientists can now precisely modify plant genomes to improve traits like yield, disease resistance, and nutritional content. Whether it’s enhancing the sweetness of strawberries or boosting the shelf life of tomatoes, genome editing holds immense promise for horticultural crop improvement [3].

2. High-Throughput Phenomics

Seeing Plants in a New Light

Advancements in sensors, artificial intelligence, and computer vision have revolutionized phenomics—the study of plant traits. Researchers can now analyze thousands of plants simultaneously, assessing growth patterns, stress responses, and nutrient uptake. High-throughput phenomics accelerates breeding programs, leading to resilient and high-yielding crops [4]. Abiotic stresses, like drought, salinity, and high temperature pose significant challenges to global agriculture, jeopardizing crop yields and food security [5].

3. Pan-Genomes and Genetic Diversity

Beyond the Reference Genome

International policy recently adopted commitments to maintain genetic diversity in wild populations to secure their adaptive potential, including metrics to monitor temporal trends in genetic diversity – so-called indicators [6]. Traditionally, genome sequencing focused on a single reference plant. However, pan-genomes—a collection of genomes from diverse individuals—provide a more comprehensive view. By exploring genetic variations within a species, we uncover valuable traits and adaptability. Pan-genomes empower breeders to create crops resilient to changing climates and pests [7].

4.Sustainable Practices

From Soil to Table

Plants grown in artificially contaminated soils incorporated the metal added to the soils more rapidly and in higher proportions [8]. Sustainability is at the heart of modern horticulture. Researchers emphasize soil health, water conservation, and reduced chemical inputs. Cover cropping, precision irrigation, and organic farming techniques promote ecological balance. By minimizing environmental impact, we ensure a bountiful harvest for generations to come [3].

5.Urban Agriculture and Vertical Farming

Growing Upward

Based on a German case study and on the examples of vertical farming and community-supported agriculture, the results suggest that sustainable urban agriculture is a multi-dimensional approach informed by strong sustainability that places nature in the focus [9]. Urban spaces are becoming fertile ground for horticulture. Vertical farms, using hydroponics or aeroponics, maximize space efficiency. Rooftop gardens, community plots, and indoor greenhouses bring fresh produce to city dwellers. These innovative approaches redefine how we think about food production [3].

Conclusion

As we celebrate the progress in horticultural research, let’s recognize the interconnectedness of plants, humans, and the environment. From heirloom tomatoes to vibrant marigolds, horticulture enriches our lives. Let’s cultivate not only crops but also a greener, more sustainable future—one where every seed sown contributes to a flourishing planet.

Remember, the next time you bite into a juicy peach or admire a blooming rose, you’re part of this beautiful journey—a journey toward a world where horticulture thrives, nourishing both body and soul.

List of top most journals in Horticultural Science (2024)

What is open access journal?

An open access journal is an academic journal that publishes scholarly papers and makes the content available for access, download, reading, and distribution without charging subscription fees. People commonly refer to open access journals as “free journals” since users do not have to pay to read or use their contents. In the general context, it is somehow correct. But technically, most open access journals use Creative Commons licenses, which are public licenses that allow content usage and impose certain restrictions, if any. Such restrictions may include attribution, modifications, and non-commercialization. Open access journals are growing in popularity and are well respected in academia. Major databases such as the Directory of Open Access Publishing have begun focusing on indexing and promoting high-quality open access journals. More established databases have also followed suit. The presence of established databases in promoting open access journals is an important validation and recognition of open research.

What is open peer review?

Open peer review (OPR), where review reports and reviewers’ identities are published alongside the articles, represents one of the last aspects of the open science movement to be widely embraced, although its adoption has been growing since the turn of the century (Wolfram etal., 2020) [10]. Open peer review refers to various modifications of the traditional scholarly peer review process. These modifications aim to address perceived shortcomings of the conventional system. Here are the three common forms of open peer review:

1. Open Identities:

• In open peer review, authors and reviewers are aware of each other’s identities. Unlike traditional peer review, where reviewers remain anonymous to anyone but the journal’s editors, open peer review allows transparency by revealing reviewer names to authors.
• However, reviewer identities may or may not be disclosed to the public.

2. Open Reports:

• Under this model, review reports are made public, rather than being confidentially shared only with the article’s authors. This includes publishing not only the reviewers’ comments but also the authors’ responses and editors’ recommendations.
• Typically, this applies to articles accepted for publication, not those that are rejected.

3. Open Participation:

• In open peer review, self-selected reviewers (beyond invited experts) can comment on an article. The assumption is that the article’s content is openly accessible.
• These self-selected reviewers may contribute either brief comments or comprehensive reviews.
• The text of the article is openly available, allowing broader community participation in the review process.

The adoption of open peer review aims to enhance transparency, provide incentives, reduce wastefulness, and address issues like bullying and harassment in scholarly communication.

What are the benefits of Open Peer Review?

Open peer review (OPR) is a transparent process that allows scholarly articles to be evaluated by experts in the field, while also revealing the identities of both authors and reviewers. OPR can improve the quality of research by:

• Encouraging constructive feedback: Openness in the identities of authors and reviewers can lead to better quality feedback rather than simply rejecting the paper.
• Reducing bias: Everything is openly available to all, which can reduce the possibility of bias.
• Empowering authors: Authors can lead the process by suggesting reviewers themselves.
• Improving accountability: The quality of current scientific publications is at stake.
• Encouraging collaboration: OPR encourages collaboration and promotes diversity of perspectives, ultimately leading to more robust and credible research outcomes.
• Providing learning opportunities: OPR places a research work in the context of a discussion, and gives authors, readers and others a chance to better understand the process from the initial manuscript submission to final published version.
• Exposing possible conflicts of interest: OPR may help to expose possible conflicts of interest in some cases.

Adoption of OPR by publishers (Wolfram etal., 2020) [10]

A summary of the most prolific publishers contributing to OPR and their headquarters country appears below. Although many journals today attract an international audience and are managed by international teams of researchers, the prevalence of OPR journals associated with publishers based in Europe stands out. Twenty-four of the 38 (63.2%) identified publishers are based in Europe and account for 445 out of the 617 titles (72.1%). Although the publishers are based in Europe, many of the journals they publish may support journals originating from other areas of the world (e.g., Kowsar). Furthermore, 500 of the OPR journals (81.0%) are published by only five publishers (MDPI, SDI, BioMed Central, Frontiers Media S.A., Kowsar). This points to the important role that publishers have played to date in the promotion of OPR (Wolfram etal., 2020) [10].

1. *United Kingdom (19 journals), United States (9), Argentina (1), Bulgaria (1), Canada (1), France (1), Germany (1), Ireland (1), Kenya (1), The Netherlands (1), Switzerland (1)

List of open Peer-review journals in horticultural science (2024)
1. Horticulturae (Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/horticulturae)
2. Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research (Website: https://journalajahr.com)

References:

1. Indurthi, S., Sarma, I., & Vinod, D. V. (2024). Horticultural Innovations Elevating Crop Yields and Agricultural Sustainability for a Flourishing Future. PLANT CELL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, 25(1-2), 22-44.
2. Tani, E., Xanthopoulou, A., & Bazakos, C. (2024). Advances on genomics and genetics of horticultural crops and their contribution to breeding efforts-volume II. Frontiers in Plant Science, 15, 1385217.
3. Xu, J., Hua, K., & Lang, Z., “Genome editing for horticultural crop improvement,” Horticulture Research, 6, 113 (2019)
4. Wang, X., et al., “Genome sequences of horticultural plants: past, present, and future,” Horticulture Research, 6, 113 (2019)
5. Kumari, P., Gangwar, H., Kumar, V., Jaiswal, V., & Gahlaut, V. (2024). Crop Phenomics and High-Throughput Phenotyping. Digital Agriculture: A Solution for Sustainable Food and Nutritional Security, 391-423.
6. Kurland, S., Saha, A., Keehnen, N., de la Paz Celorio‐Mancera, M., Díez‐del‐Molino, D., Ryman, N., & Laikre, L. (2024). New indicators for monitoring genetic diversity applied to alpine brown trout populations using whole genome sequence data. Molecular Ecology, 33(2), e17213.
7. McDowell, R. W., Pletnyakov, P., Haygarth, P. M., “Phosphorus applications adjusted to optimal crop yields can help sustain global phosphorus reserves,” Nature Food, 1-8 (2024)
8. Papadimou, S. G., & Golia, E. E. (2024). Green and sustainable practices for an energy plant cultivation on naturally contaminated versus spiked soils. The impact of ageing soil pollution in the circular economy framework. Environmental Research, 246, 118130.

9. John, H., & Artmann, M. (2024). Introducing an integrative evaluation framework for assessing the sustainability of different types of urban agriculture. International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development, 16(1), 35-52.
10. Wolfram, D., Wang, P., Hembree, A. et al. Open peer review: promoting transparency in open science. Scientometrics 125, 1033–1051 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-020-03488-4