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Effects of Environmental Factors on Nutritional Quality of Plant Seeds...
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Effects of Environmental Factors on Nutritional Quality of Plant Seeds and Other Edible Plant Parts

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Response to Abiotic Stress and Climate Change".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 3016

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Maria Reguera

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Interests: nature; gastronomy; plant science; reading
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The latest climate prospects point to the occurrence of more frequent and intense extreme climate and weather episodes (including drought, flooding, heat waves, or freezes) accompanied by soil degradation and a higher incidence of plant diseases. These threats are currently compromising our food system as they severely impact agriculture, both quantitatively (compromising yields) and in terms of the nutritional quality of crops. Within these threatening scenarios, the urgency of finding innovative solutions for these problems intensifies and includes the use of cost-effective crops that are resilient to stress and able to provide more nutritious plant-based foods that will contribute to minimizing food insecurity worldwide. In this regard, the stability of plant performance and seed/grain quality are critical aspects to be analyzed to broaden our understanding regarding the effect(s) of different plant environmental stressors (prevalent in many agricultural areas around the world) on the physiology and nutritional properties of crops, which is key to fighting malnutrition. Hence, this Special Issue aims to collect recent findings regarding the impact of abiotic and biotic stressors on plant-based food quality with special emphasis on the nutritional quality of seeds or grains of stress-resilient edible plant species.

Dr. Maria Reguera
Guest Editor

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. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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

  • abiotic stress
  • biotic factors
  • nutritional quality
  • seeds and grains
  • edible plant parts
  • climate change
  • food security

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 1470 KiB  
Article
Phenological Adaptation of Wheat Varieties to Rising Temperatures: Implications for Yield Components and Grain Quality
by Davide Gulino and Marta S. Lopes
Plants 2024, 13(20), 2929; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13202929 - 18 Oct 2024
Viewed by 702
Abstract
This study examined the effects of late sowing, water restrictions, and interannual weather variations on wheat grain yield and quality through field trials in Spain over two growing seasons. Delayed sowing and water scarcity significantly reduced yields, with grain quality mainly affected under [...] Read more.
This study examined the effects of late sowing, water restrictions, and interannual weather variations on wheat grain yield and quality through field trials in Spain over two growing seasons. Delayed sowing and water scarcity significantly reduced yields, with grain quality mainly affected under rainfed conditions. Early-maturing varieties performed better in these conditions, benefiting from lower temperatures and extended grain-filling periods, leading to higher solar radiation interception, potentially increased photosynthetic activity, and improved yields. These varieties also saved water through reduced total cumulative evapotranspiration from sowing to maturity (ETo TOT), which was advantageous in water-limited environments. In contrast, late-maturing varieties were exposed to higher maximum temperatures during grain filling and experienced greater ETo TOT, leading to lower yields, reduced hectoliter weight, and a lower P/L ratio (tenacity/extensibility). This study highlighted the importance of optimizing temperature exposure and evapotranspiration for improved grain yield and quality, especially under climate change conditions with higher temperatures and water shortages. Notably, it established, for the first time, the importance of phenology on wheat quality of different varieties, suggesting that targeted selection for specific phenology could mitigate the negative impacts of heat stress not only on grain yield but also on grain quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Environmental Factors on Nutritional Quality of Plant Seeds and Other Edible Plant Parts)
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Review

Jump to: Research

45 pages, 1510 KiB  
Review
From ‘Farm to Fork’: Exploring the Potential of Nutrient-Rich and Stress-Resilient Emergent Crops for Sustainable and Healthy Food in the Mediterranean Region in the Face of Climate Change Challenges
by Javier Matías, María José Rodríguez, Antonio Carrillo-Vico, Joan Casals, Sara Fondevilla, Claudia Mónika Haros, Justo Pedroche, Nieves Aparicio, Nieves Fernández-García, Ingrid Aguiló-Aguayo, Cristina Soler-Rivas, Pedro A. Caballero, Asunción Morte, Daniel Rico and María Reguera
Plants 2024, 13(14), 1914; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13141914 - 11 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1823
Abstract
In the dynamic landscape of agriculture and food science, incorporating emergent crops appears as a pioneering solution for diversifying agriculture, unlocking possibilities for sustainable cultivation and nutritional bolstering food security, and creating economic prospects amid evolving environmental and market conditions with positive impacts [...] Read more.
In the dynamic landscape of agriculture and food science, incorporating emergent crops appears as a pioneering solution for diversifying agriculture, unlocking possibilities for sustainable cultivation and nutritional bolstering food security, and creating economic prospects amid evolving environmental and market conditions with positive impacts on human health. This review explores the potential of utilizing emergent crops in Mediterranean environments under current climate scenarios, emphasizing the manifold benefits of agricultural and food system diversification and assessing the impact of environmental factors on their quality and consumer health. Through a deep exploration of the resilience, nutritional value, and health impacts of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) such as quinoa, amaranth, chia, moringa, buckwheat, millet, teff, hemp, or desert truffles, their capacity to thrive in the changing Mediterranean climate is highlighted, offering novel opportunities for agriculture and functional food development. By analysing how promoting agricultural diversification can enhance food system adaptability to evolving environmental conditions, fostering sustainability and resilience, we discuss recent findings that underscore the main benefits and limitations of these crops from agricultural, food science, and health perspectives, all crucial for responsible and sustainable adoption. Thus, by using a sustainable and holistic approach, this revision analyses how the integration of NUS crops into Mediterranean agrifood systems can enhance agriculture resilience and food quality addressing environmental, nutritional, biomedical, economic, and cultural dimensions, thereby mitigating the risks associated with monoculture practices and bolstering local economies and livelihoods under new climate scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Environmental Factors on Nutritional Quality of Plant Seeds and Other Edible Plant Parts)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Exploring the Potential of Nutrient-Rich and Stress-Resilient Emergent Crops for Sustainable and Healthy Food in the Mediterranean Region in the Face of Climate Change Challenges
Authors: Javier Matías1, Nieves Fernández-García2, Joan Casals3, Sara Fondevilla4, Nieves Aparicio5, Claudia Mónika Haros6, Justo Pedroche7, Ingrid Aguiló8, Cristina Soler-Rivas9, Pedro A. Caballero10, Asunció
Affiliation: 1 Agrarian Research Institute “La Orden-Valdesequera” of Extremadura (CICYTEX). 06187, Badajoz, Spain 2 Department of Abiotic Stress and Plant Pathology, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CSIC), Campus Universitario de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain 3 Fundació Miquel Agustí, Esteve Terrades, 8, 08860 Castelldefels, Spain 4 Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avda. Menéndez Pidal s/n, 14004, Córdoba, Spain 5 Agro-Technological Institute of Castilla y León (ITACyL), Ctra. Burgos Km. 119, 47071-Valladolid, Spain 6 Cereal Group, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC), Av. Agustín Escardino 7, Parque Científico, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain 7 Group of Plant Proteins, Instituto de la Grasa, CSIC. Ctra. de Utrera Km. 1, 41013 Seville, Spain 8 IRTA, Postharvest Programme, Parc Agrobiotech Lleida. Parc de Gardeny, Edifici Fruitcentre, 25003 Lleida, Spain 9 Departamento de Producción y Caracterización de Nuevos Alimentos, Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias de la Alimentación (CIAL) (CSIC-UAM), 28049 Madrid, Spain; Sección Departamental de Ciencias de la Alimentación, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain 10 Food Technology, Department of Agriculture and Forestry Engineering, University of Valladolid, 34004 Palencia, Spain. 11 Departamento Biología Vegetal, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Campus Universitario de Espinardo, Murcia 30100, Spain 12 Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBiS/Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Seville 41013. Departamento de Bioquímica Médica y Biología Molecular e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville 41009, Spain. 13 Technological Institute of Food and Agriculture of Extremadura (CICYTEX), Guadajira, Spain 14 Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, c/Darwin 2, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain
Abstract: In the dynamic landscape of agriculture and food science, incorporating emergent crops appears as a pioneering solution, unlocking possibilities for sustainable cultivation and nutritional innovation with positive impacts on human health. This review explores the potential of utilizing emergent crops in Mediterranean environments under current climate scenarios, emphasizing the manifold benefits of agricultural and food system diversification and assessing the impact of environmental factors on their quality and consumer health. Through a deep exploration of the resilience, nutritional value, and health impacts of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) such as quinoa, amaranth, chia, moringa, buckwheat, millet, teff, hemp, or desert truffles, their capacity to thrive in the changing Mediterranean climate is highlighted, offering novel opportunities for agriculture and functional food development. Analyzing how promoting agricultural diversification can enhance food system adaptability to evolving environmental conditions, fostering sustainability and resilience, we discuss recent findings that underscore the main benefits and limitations of these crops from agricultural, food science, and health perspectives, all crucial for responsible and sustainable adoption. Thus, using a sustainable and holistic approach, this revision analyzes how the integration of NUS crops into our Agrifood systems can enhance agriculture resilience and food quality addressing environmental, nutritional, biomedical, economic, and cultural dimensions.

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