Applications of Ficus carica L.: Botanical Studies, Biodiversity Assessment, and Bioactive Compounds

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Biosciences and Bioengineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (21 October 2023) | Viewed by 146

Special Issue Editors

Institute of BioEconomy, National Research Council (CNR-IBE), Via Madonna del Piano n. 10, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
Interests: plant biology; cell biology; botany; plant biodiversity; plant ecology; biosystematics; microscopy; electron microscopy; plant anatomy; plant histology; floral biology; pollen
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Institute of BioEconomy, National Research Council (CNR-IBE), Via Madonna del Piano n. 10, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
Interests: biodiversity; plant characterization; pomology; plant propagation; plant valorization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
Interests: micropropagation; flower and fruit biology; frost damage; systematic pomology; evaluation of fruit quality; varietal selection
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
Interests: plant biotechnology; genetic diversity; molecular markers; chemical characterization; food science; agricultural biotechnology; plant production
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Managing and restoring marginal lands by introducing "new crops" is one of the key actions to counter climate change and desertification. Land restoration is at the heart of a sustainable bioeconomy, helping to increase food production and restore soil fertility. Fig plant can be a viable choice because of its great adaptability to drought and summer heat, responding positively to climate demands dictated by global warming. Its resistance to salinity and active calcium allows it to grow on ruderal or marginal soils, be used for sustainable agriculture and exploit marginal or semi-arid areas. In addition, fig fruits have high nutritional value, being a source of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, minerals and vitamins. Many of these molecules have potential beneficial properties for human health, so they are used in traditional and modern medicine. One of the main advantages of Ficus carica is that it produces fruits that are important sources of nutrition and energy; it is also easy to grow and available not only during the fruiting season, but also throughout the year due to its preservation through drying. 

The purpose of this Special Issue is to investigate topics ranging from its reproductive biology to the cultivation of the plant to fruit preservation, with a particular focus on:

  • the genetic biodiversity of naturally grown and modern accessions for germplasm conservation and breeding programs; 
  • the plant's response to adverse climatic conditions such as drought and salinity;
  • the presence of secondary products useful for human health and for the production of fortified foods.

All the studies, we hope, will allow us to define the fig as a "plant for the future."

Dr. Cristiana Giordano
Dr. Raffaella Petruccelli
Dr. Tommaso Ganino
Dr. Margherita Rodolfi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • biodiversity
  • conservation
  • reproductive biology
  • ecology

Published Papers

There is no accepted submissions to this special issue at this moment.
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