Dear Colleagues,

Unlike agricultural plants, fruit plants have multiple features, such as asexual reproduction, a long juvenile phase, and the requirements of controlled conditions, grafting, post-harvest treatment. The genomes of horticultural plants are highly diverse and complex, often with a high degree of heterozygosity and a high ploidy due to their long and complex history of evolution and domestication. Due to all of these concerns, it is difficult to investigate fruit plant features in model plants or by using conventional tools. Recent technologies, such as quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, whole-genome resequencing and genotyping by sequencing, phenomics, transcriptomics and proteomics, and genome editing utilizing CRISPR-Cas technology, allow plant breeders to develop/transfer important genomic regions to elite cultivars with great precision. New approaches help to address important issues. For example, endophytic bacteria are shown to have several beneficial effects on their host plant, including growth-promoting activity, a reduction in oxidative injury levels, and the modulation of plant metabolism and phytohormone signaling that leads to an adaptation to environmental abiotic or biotic stresses. It is also important to look for natural antagonists in various plant pathogens. Stress responses are associated with an accumulation of plant secondary metabolites important for human health, such as anthocyanins, ellagic acid and others. The manipulation of the underlying regulatory mechanisms during fruit ripening suggests ways to enhance the desired pigments in fruits by biotechnological interventions. Fruit crop plants can be a platform for pharmaceutical protein production by plant molecular farming. For many fruit crops, in vitro propagation, plant nutrition, genetic and epigenetic stability, light regulation, and the preservation of genetic resources or cryopreservation remain very important.

The proposed Special Issue, entitled "Applications of Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology in Fruit Crops", aims to present the results of recent research studies, methods, technologies, and innovative practices in fruit crops. We look forward to receiving your manuscripts and sharing the achievements of this rapidly evolving field.

Dr. Rytis Rugienius
Prof. Dr. Vidmantas Stanys
Dr. Birutė Frercks
Guest Editors

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• genome mapping
• abiotic and biotic stress resistance
• secondary metabolites
• endophytes
• productivity