Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Plant Species as Future Crops under Climate Change

Dear Colleagues,

The current context generated by climate change affects the security of life on Earth from multiple aspects. For an agricultural aspect, these changes can be disastrous, affecting food security. Global food systems are known to be dominated by three cultivated species: wheat, maize and rice, which comprise almost half of plant-based foods, and together with 25 other species account for 90–95% of global food needs. This limited agricultural diversity is very risky, having severe consequences on food security and global biodiversity.

Finding new, valuable food sources rich in active compounds is essential in the context of climate pressure, and neglected and underutilized species (NUS) are a viable alternative. These are cultivated, semi-domesticated or wild plant species that tend to be underutilized regionally and globally due to low market interest.

However, NUS are characterized by essential features related to the following:

• high nutraceutical value, representing rich sources of vitamins, micronutrients and other phytochemicals, with strategic potential in reducing food security problems;
• ecological plasticity manifested by the ability to adapt to marginal, complex and difficult environments, a good tolerance to biotic and abiotic stressors, which significantly contributes to the diversification of agroecological niches;
• the possibility of cultivation within traditional production systems, with inputs reduced in quantity and value;
• a set of useful genetic traits which are extremely important for future breeding programs, by improving the content of active principles, increasing nutraceutical value and sustainable and stress-tolerant production systems.

However, these species do not exceed the barrier of their cultivation and use as niche plants, due to cultural barriers, economic and social limitations, and insufficient knowledge of their potentials under the conditions of climate change.

Through this Special Issue, we aim to bring to highlight the importance of NUS to the scientific community in the current climate context, encouraging researchers to present the results obtained through review articles, short communications and original research papers.

Prof. Dr. Șumălan Radu-Liviu
Prof. Dr. Stănică Florin
Prof. Dr. Ciulca Sorin
Guest Editors

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• propagation
• biodiversity
• stress tolerance
• landraces
• physiology
• cultural practices
• active compounds
• characterization
• valorification