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Horticulturae
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Biodiversity, Production, Processing and Quality along the Chain of Herbal...
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Biodiversity, Production, Processing and Quality along the Chain of Herbal and Edible Flowers

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Medicinals, Herbs, and Specialty Crops".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 July 2022) | Viewed by 18790

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Silvana Nicola

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Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural, Forest, and Food Sciences (DISAFA), Vegetable Crops and Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (VEGMAP), University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
Interests: horticultural sciences; advanced production systems; postharvest of fresh produce; urban horticulture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Andrea Ertani

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
DISAFA Departement, Largo Braccini 2, University of Torino, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy
Interests: biostimulants; plant biofortification; abiotic stress; vertical farming
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Mohammad Mahdi Jowkar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah Branch, Kermanshah, Iran
Interests: physiology and biotechnology of ornamental plants; tissue and cell culture; abiotic stress; secondary metabolite production; postharvest; ethylene and senescence

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Flowers are reproductive parts of a plant which are also used for nutritive and medicinal properties. They can be fruit flowers, vegetable flowers, medicinal flowers, and aromatic flowers. Wild and cultivated flowers have been used not only for their flavor but also for adding color and other sensory characteristics to food. Herbal flowers have been used in phytotherapy for centuries. Some flowers possess properties that are different from the pharmacological properties of the other parts of the plant and some contain substances that can be anti-nutritional, toxic, or even poisonous.

Edible flowers are a new source of nutraceuticals due to their nutritional and chemoprotective value. The traditional health benefits of flowers have recently been supported by several studies due to their composition rich in bioactive compounds, which have been correlated to functional properties. Bioactive compounds can also be directly extracted from them.

Although edible flowers have great sensory attraction, they have not yet been used in food as widely as fresh vegetables and fruits. Their fragile structure challenges harvest automation as well as postharvest cleaning and washing systems. They are highly perishable if not processed, and as fresh products their extremely short shelf-life limits their commercial use.

The aim of this Special Issue is to gather the knowledge on all Biodiversity, Production, Processing and Quality along the Chain of Herbal and Edible Flowers. This Special Issue covers research on traditional or innovative production techniques, biodiversity or domestication and propagation techniques, plant physiology and phytochemistry, mechanization and automation, postharvest and processing, and supply chain until consumption. Considerations of food safety aspects from production to consumption are also expected, particularly as a different determinant factor compared to ornamental flowers. Commercial and economical aspects are also welcome, including sustainability analyses. This Special Issue will publish reviews, original research articles, and short communications.

Prof. Dr. Silvana Nicola
Dr. Andrea Ertani
Prof. Dr. Mohammad Mahdi Jowkar
Guest Editors

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. Horticulturae is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2200 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

  • specialty crops
  • garnish
  • nutraceutical
  • bioactive compounds
  • safety
  • shelf life
  • value chain

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 1430 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Secondary Metabolite Contents and Metabolic Profiles of Six Lycoris Species
by Hyeon Ji Yeo, Ye Jin Kim, Bao Van Nguyen, Ye Eun Park, Chang Ha Park, Haeng Hoon Kim, Jae Kwang Kim and Sang Un Park
Horticulturae 2021, 7(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7010005 - 05 Jan 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3016
Abstract
Quantitative HPLC analysis was performed on six different species of Lycoris herbs to investigate variation in phytochemical content, especially galantamine and phenylpropanoid-derived compounds. The contents of these compounds differed widely among the Lycoris species, with L. radiata and L. chinensis containing the lowest [...] Read more.
Quantitative HPLC analysis was performed on six different species of Lycoris herbs to investigate variation in phytochemical content, especially galantamine and phenylpropanoid-derived compounds. The contents of these compounds differed widely among the Lycoris species, with L. radiata and L. chinensis containing the lowest and highest galantamine contents, respectively. Specifically, the galantamine content of L. radiata was 62.5% higher than that of L. chinensis. Following L. radiata, L. sanguinea contained the next highest galantamine content, which was 59.1% higher than that of L. chinensis. Furthermore, a total of 12 phenylpropanoid-derived compounds were found in the different Lycoris species, where L. sanguinea, L. squamigera, and L. uydoensis had the largest accumulation of these compounds. The total phenylpropanoid content of L. sanguinea was the highest, while that of L. radiata was the lowest. Seven of the phenylpropanoid-derived compounds, rutin, quercetin, catechin, epicatechin gallate, chlorogenic acid, benzoic acid, and kaempferol, were dominant. L. sanguinea, L. uydoensis, and L. squamigera showed amounts of these seven compounds that were 5–6 times greater than those of the other species in the study. To the best of our knowledge, our results provide the most detailed phytochemical information on these species to date, which is valuable for future applications using these medicinal plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity, Production, Processing and Quality along the Chain of Herbal and Edible Flowers)
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Review

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22 pages, 15887 KiB  
Review
Edible Flowers: Antioxidant Compounds and Their Functional Properties
by Nadhila B. Prabawati, Viki Oktavirina, Miguel Palma and Widiastuti Setyaningsih
Horticulturae 2021, 7(4), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7040066 - 01 Apr 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6939
Abstract
Edible flowers have been widely consumed for ages until now. The attractive colors and shapes, exotic aroma, and delightful taste make edible flowers very easy to attain. Moreover, they also provide health benefits for consumers due to the unique composition and concentration of [...] Read more.
Edible flowers have been widely consumed for ages until now. The attractive colors and shapes, exotic aroma, and delightful taste make edible flowers very easy to attain. Moreover, they also provide health benefits for consumers due to the unique composition and concentration of antioxidant compounds in the matrices. Knowing the bioactive compounds and their functional properties from edible flowers is necessary to diversify the usage and reach broader consumers. Therefore, this reported review could be useful for functional product development, engaging the discussed edible flowers. We present a comprehensive review of edible flower composition and the functional properties of their antioxidant compounds, mainly phenolics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity, Production, Processing and Quality along the Chain of Herbal and Edible Flowers)
41 pages, 1590 KiB  
Review
Methodologies in the Analysis of Phenolic Compounds in Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.): Composition, Biological Activity, and Beneficial Effects on Human Health
by Bety W. Hapsari, Manikharda and Widiastuti Setyaningsih
Horticulturae 2021, 7(2), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7020035 - 23 Feb 2021
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 7924
Abstract
Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.), as an edible flower, has long provided an array of positive effects on human health. This benefit is a result of phenolic compounds that are naturally present mainly in the calyx. Plentiful medicinal remedies and functional foods based [...] Read more.
Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.), as an edible flower, has long provided an array of positive effects on human health. This benefit is a result of phenolic compounds that are naturally present mainly in the calyx. Plentiful medicinal remedies and functional foods based on this flower are available worldwide, as supported by the studies of phenolic compounds in recent decades. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the composition, biological activity, and beneficial effects on human health of phenolic compounds in roselle. This review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A structured search in the published literature for phenolics compositions in roselle was required prior to the evaluation on the validity of the reported analytical methods. Reliable identification and quantification of phenolic compounds in roselle can be achieved by employing the proper extraction and separation methods. With ample alternative analytical methods discussed here, this review provided an aid for comprehending and selecting the most appropriate method for a particular study. The applications of the analytical methods highlighted indicated that phenolic acids, flavonoids, and their derivatives have been identified and quantified in roselle with a range of biological activities and beneficial effects on human health. It was also disclosed that the composition and concentration of phenolic compounds in roselle vary due to the growth factors, cultivars, and environmental influence. Finally, apart from the research progress carried out with roselle during the last ten years, this review also proposed relevant future works. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity, Production, Processing and Quality along the Chain of Herbal and Edible Flowers)
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