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The available range of ornamental plants (cut flowers, potted plants, perennials, bulbous, woody ornamental plants) is constantly being supplemented with new species and cultivars; thus, new methods for their production are required. The sustainable development of the floriculture industry requires modern and environmentally friendly solutions that can maximize the plant’s potential. Therefore, it is necessary to adapt flower production methods to actual conditions and take into account the energy transformation and biological, technical, and organizational advances. This Special Issue is a collection of seven well-written research works covering the current state-of-the-art of ornamental crop production. The main body of the Special Issue gives an interesting coverage of new strategies that can be utilized for plant reproduction, regulating their growth and flowering, adapting production technologies to fit the concept of sustainable development, and optimizing supply chain management. This Special Issue will provide a good reference source for growers, research scientists, and advanced undergraduate students.

life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) --- plant protection --- compost --- sustainable greenhouse production --- biostimulants --- polysaccharides --- bulb coating --- plant enhancement --- metabolites --- roses --- gerberas --- chrysanthemums --- sustainability --- floriculture --- environmental impact --- CO2 footprint --- abscission --- cape primrose --- eco-dormancy --- flowering pot plant --- hydroponics --- Gesneriaceae --- root zone heating --- phyllomorphy --- Streptocarpus formosus --- plant growth regulators --- salicylic acid --- oxalic acid --- DPPH --- antioxidant activity --- reducing power ability --- 1-Naphthylacetic acid --- stimulants --- propagation --- rooting --- shrubs --- supply chain performance --- floricultural sector --- SCOR --- AHP --- n/a

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In the past few decades, awareness of the basic role that endophytic fungi play in shaping the fitness of both wild and crop plants has increased significantly. The number of papers on the subject is so large that it is becoming difficult to have a complete overview of the state-of-the-art with reference to specific crops. In the absence of readily available documents providing circumstantial information on the endophytic assemblage of plants, the isolation of a certain fungal species may appear to be occasional or trivial; hence, many important findings are at risk of going unnoticed. This Special Issue aims to present a collection of papers dealing with the occurrence and functions of endophytic fungi in crop species. It may represent a useful tool for stakeholders in this particular research field, with a view to stimulating a more thorough consideration of the opportunities deriving from their discoveries.

Research & information: general --- endophytic fungi --- Fusarium --- species complexes --- mycotoxins --- fusaric acid --- trichothecenes --- biosynthetic gene clusters --- Citrus spp. --- endophytes --- antagonism --- defensive mutualism --- plant growth promotion --- bioactive compounds --- entomopathogens --- crop protection --- integrated pest management --- Cordycipitaceae --- Alternaria --- Illumina MiSeq --- secondary raw materials --- compositae --- fungi --- herbs --- secondary metabolites --- symbiosis --- mutualism --- plant fitness --- latent pathogens --- Botryosphaeria rhodina --- Botryodiplodia theobromae --- onions --- amaryllis --- endosphere --- endobiome --- metabolome --- sage --- bioprospecting --- medicinal plants --- Lamiaceae --- biocontrol --- biostimulants --- induced systemic resistance --- ISR --- plant pathogens --- fungal entomopathogens --- Acacia --- Albizia --- Bauhinia --- Berberis --- Caesalpinia --- Cassia --- Cornus --- Hamamelis --- Jasminus --- Ligustrum --- Lonicera --- Nerium --- Robinia --- EFSA --- high-risk plants --- n/a

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Vegetables are an important part of the human diet due to their nutrient density and, at the same time, low calorie content. Producers of vegetable crops mainly aim at achieving high yields with good external quality. However, there is an increasing demand of consumers for vegetables that provide good sensory properties and are rich in secondary compounds that can be valuable for human health. Sub- or supra-optimal abiotic conditions, like high temperatures, drought, excess light, salinity or nutrient deficiency, may alter the composition of vegetable crops and at the same time, result in yield loss. Thus, producers need to adapt their horticultural practices such as through the choice of variety, irrigation regime, light management, fruit thinning, or fertilizer application to improve the yield and quality of the vegetable product. In the future, altered climate conditions such as elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations, rising temperatures, or altered precipitation patterns may become additional challenges for producers of vegetable crops, especially those that cultivate in the open field. This raises the need for optimized horticultural practices in order to minimize abiotic stresses. As well, specific storage conditions can have large impacts on the quality of vegetables. This Special Issue compiles research that deals with the optimization of vegetable product quality (e.g. sensory aspects, composition) under sub- or supra-optimal abiotic conditions.

ascorbic acid --- biostimulants --- Allium cepa --- Phulkara --- Nasarpuri --- Lambada and Red Bone --- gibberex --- Momordica charantia L --- dismutase --- peroxidase --- catalase --- vegetative growth --- flesh firmness --- flowering --- harvest time --- lycopene --- rootstock-scion combination --- total soluble solids --- elevated CO₂ --- modified atmosphere package --- sensory and physiological-biochemical characteristics --- total phenol --- DPPH --- heirloom beans --- drought --- abiotic stress --- local farming --- nutraceutical properties --- zinc --- Solanum lycopersicum --- drought potassium --- vacuolar transporter --- tomato --- product quality --- nitrogen --- shelf life --- carotenoids --- antioxidants --- taste --- minerals --- fatty acids --- oxalate --- nitrate --- phytochemicals --- ammonium --- climate change --- food quality --- photosynthesis --- nitrogen source --- vegetable --- Ocimum basilicum --- salt --- NaCl --- yield --- quality --- polyphenols --- grafting --- water-use efficiency --- nutrient use efficiency --- vegetable production --- n/a

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In the past few decades, awareness of the basic role that endophytic fungi play in shaping the fitness of both wild and crop plants has increased significantly. The number of papers on the subject is so large that it is becoming difficult to have a complete overview of the state-of-the-art with reference to specific crops. In the absence of readily available documents providing circumstantial information on the endophytic assemblage of plants, the isolation of a certain fungal species may appear to be occasional or trivial; hence, many important findings are at risk of going unnoticed. This Special Issue aims to present a collection of papers dealing with the occurrence and functions of endophytic fungi in crop species. It may represent a useful tool for stakeholders in this particular research field, with a view to stimulating a more thorough consideration of the opportunities deriving from their discoveries.

Research & information: general --- endophytic fungi --- Fusarium --- species complexes --- mycotoxins --- fusaric acid --- trichothecenes --- biosynthetic gene clusters --- Citrus spp. --- endophytes --- antagonism --- defensive mutualism --- plant growth promotion --- bioactive compounds --- entomopathogens --- crop protection --- integrated pest management --- Cordycipitaceae --- Alternaria --- Illumina MiSeq --- secondary raw materials --- compositae --- fungi --- herbs --- secondary metabolites --- symbiosis --- mutualism --- plant fitness --- latent pathogens --- Botryosphaeria rhodina --- Botryodiplodia theobromae --- onions --- amaryllis --- endosphere --- endobiome --- metabolome --- sage --- bioprospecting --- medicinal plants --- Lamiaceae --- biocontrol --- biostimulants --- induced systemic resistance --- ISR --- plant pathogens --- fungal entomopathogens --- Acacia --- Albizia --- Bauhinia --- Berberis --- Caesalpinia --- Cassia --- Cornus --- Hamamelis --- Jasminus --- Ligustrum --- Lonicera --- Nerium --- Robinia --- EFSA --- high-risk plants --- endophytic fungi --- Fusarium --- species complexes --- mycotoxins --- fusaric acid --- trichothecenes --- biosynthetic gene clusters --- Citrus spp. --- endophytes --- antagonism --- defensive mutualism --- plant growth promotion --- bioactive compounds --- entomopathogens --- crop protection --- integrated pest management --- Cordycipitaceae --- Alternaria --- Illumina MiSeq --- secondary raw materials --- compositae --- fungi --- herbs --- secondary metabolites --- symbiosis --- mutualism --- plant fitness --- latent pathogens --- Botryosphaeria rhodina --- Botryodiplodia theobromae --- onions --- amaryllis --- endosphere --- endobiome --- metabolome --- sage --- bioprospecting --- medicinal plants --- Lamiaceae --- biocontrol --- biostimulants --- induced systemic resistance --- ISR --- plant pathogens --- fungal entomopathogens --- Acacia --- Albizia --- Bauhinia --- Berberis --- Caesalpinia --- Cassia --- Cornus --- Hamamelis --- Jasminus --- Ligustrum --- Lonicera --- Nerium --- Robinia --- EFSA --- high-risk plants

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Over the past decade, interest in plant biostimulants has been on the rise, compelled by the growing interest of researchers, extension specialists, private industries, and farmers in integrating these products in the array of environmentally friendly tools to secure improved crop performance, nutrient efficiency, product quality, and yield stability. Plant biostimulants include diverse organic and inorganic substances, natural compounds, and/or beneficial microorganisms such as humic acids, protein hydrolysates, seaweed and plant extracts, silicon, endophytic fungi like mycorrhizal fungi, and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria belonging to the genera Azospirillum, Azotobacter, and Rhizobium. Other substances (e.g., chitosan and other biopolymers and inorganic compounds) can have biostimulant properties, but their classification within the group of biostimulants is still under consideration. Plant biostimulants are usually applied to high-value crops, mainly greenhouse crops, fruit trees and vines, open-field crops, flowers, and ornamentals to sustainably increase yield and product quality. The global biostimulant market is currently estimated at about $2.0 billion and is expected to reach $3.0 billion by 2021 at an annual growth rate of 13%. A growing interest in plant biostimulants from industries and scientists was demonstrated by the high number of published peer-reviewed articles, conferences, workshops, and symposia in the past ten years. This book compiles several original research articles, technology reports, methods, opinions, perspectives, and invited reviews and mini reviews dissecting the biostimulatory action of these natural compounds and substances and beneficial microorganisms on crops grown under optimal and suboptimal growing conditions (e.g., salinity, drought, nutrient deficiency and toxicity, heavy metal contaminations, waterlogging, and adverse soil pH conditions). Also included are contributions dealing with the effect as well as the molecular and physiological mechanisms of plant biostimulants on nutrient efficiency, product quality, and modulation of the microbial population both quantitatively and qualitatively. In addition, identification and understanding of the optimal method, time, rate of application and phenological stage for improving plant performance and resilience to stress as well as the best combinations of plant species/cultivar × environment × management practices are also reported. We strongly believe that high standard reflected in this compilation on the principles and practices of plant biostimulants will foster knowledge transfer among scientific communities, industries, and agronomists, and will enable a better understanding of the mode of action and application procedures of biostimulants in different cropping systems.

Research & information: general --- Biology, life sciences --- Technology, engineering, agriculture --- Crocus sativus L. --- biofertilization --- arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi --- antioxidant activity --- crocin --- picrocrocin --- polyphenols --- safranal --- Maize --- biostimulant --- root --- stress --- growth --- gene expression --- stem cuttings --- propagation --- root morphology traits --- indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) --- indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) --- gibberellins --- phenolic compounds --- nutrients --- nutraceutical potential --- soybean --- yield --- N organic fertilizer --- seaweed extract --- mycorrhizal inoculants --- phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms --- biofertilizers --- microorganism consortium --- biostimulants --- Crocus sativus --- Funneliformis mosseae --- glasshouse --- protected cultivation --- Rhizophagus intraradices --- substrate --- L-methionine --- L-tryptophan --- L-glycine --- lettuce --- nitrogen --- plant biostimulant --- environmental stress --- vegetables --- fruit quality --- plants biostimulants --- yielding --- Biostimulants --- Euglena gracilis --- algal polysaccharide --- β-glucan --- water stress --- tomato --- aeroponics --- Zea mays L --- lignohumate --- lignosulfonate --- biological activity --- nitrogen metabolism --- carbon metabolism --- proteins --- phenolics --- sugars --- Ascophyllum nodosum --- Solanum melongena --- heterostyly --- pollination efficiency --- soilless conditions --- abiotic stress --- alfalfa hydrolysate --- chitosan --- zinc --- ascorbic acid --- Fragaria x ananassa --- functional quality --- lycopene --- organic farming --- protein hydrolysate --- Solanum lycopersicum L. --- tropical plant extract --- fertilizer --- melatonin --- phytomelatonin --- plant protector --- plant stress --- Lactuca sativa L. --- legume-derived protein hydrolysate --- nitrate --- Septoria --- wheat --- Paraburkholderia phytofirmans --- thyme essential oil --- isotope --- phytoparasitic nematodes --- suppressiveness --- sustainable management --- anti-nutritional substances --- fat --- fibre --- morphotype --- protein --- corn --- imaging --- industrial crops --- maize --- next generation sequencing --- phenomics --- plant phenotyping --- row crops --- Bacillus subtilis --- carotenoids --- probiotics --- PGPR --- Mentha longifolia --- humic acid --- antioxidants --- arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis --- mycorrhizosphere --- AMF associated bacteria --- plant growth-promoting bacteria --- phosphate-solubilizing bacteria --- siderophore production --- soil enzymatic activity --- biological index fertility --- nitrogenase activity --- microelements fertilization (Ti, Si, B, Mo, Zn) --- seed coating --- cover crop --- vermicompost --- growth enhancement --- AM fungi --- PGPB --- water deficit --- common bean --- Glomus spp. --- organic acids --- pod quality --- seaweed extracts --- seed quality --- tocopherols --- total sugars --- bean --- amino acids --- phenols --- flavonoids --- microbial biostimulant --- non-microbial biostimulant --- Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia --- mineral profile --- physiological mechanism --- photosynthesis --- biocontrol --- plant growth promotion --- soil inoculant --- Trichoderma --- Azotobacter --- Streptomyces --- deproteinized leaf juice --- fermentation --- lactic acid bacteria --- plant nutrition --- antioxidant capacity --- ornamental plants --- N fertilization --- nitrogen use efficiency --- leaf quality --- Spinacia oleracea L. --- sustainable agriculture --- Valerianella locusta L. --- isotopic labeling --- turfgrass --- humic acids --- leaf area index (LAI) --- specific leaf area (SLA) --- Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) index --- tuber yield --- ultrasound-assisted water --- foliar spray --- Pterocladia capillacea --- bio-fertilizer --- growth parameters --- Jew’s Mallow --- CROPWAT model --- eco-friendly practices --- total ascorbic acid --- Mater-Bi® --- mineral composition --- SPAD index --- Bacillus thuringiensis --- Capsicum annuum --- microbiome --- strain-specific primer --- tracking --- sweet basil --- alfalfa brown juice --- biostimulation --- chlorophyll pigments --- histological changes --- humic substances --- protein hydrolysates --- silicon --- arbuscular mycorrhiza --- plant growth promoting rhizobacteria --- macroalgae --- microalgae --- abiotic stresses --- nutrient use efficiency --- physiological mechanisms