Italus Hortus - Postharvest Management of Mediterranean Crops

Special Issue Editors

Guest Editor

Giuseppe Sortino

University of Palermo, Italy

Prof. Giuseppe Sortino was awarded a Diploma in Agriculture, a Master in Quality Management, a Master in Certification and safety of the Agri-food System, and PhD in Horticulture. He was then post-doc fellow for 11 years. He was contract professor of Sensory analysis for horticultural products. Currently he is associate professor in Horticulture at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences of the Università degli Studi di Palermo. He is author of more than 100 scientific publications in international peer-reviewed journals, university book chapters, conference proceedings, and technical journals. He joins the Editorial Board of 10 scientific journals (ISI WOS and SCOPUS indexed) as associate (2) or board member (8) for the topics orchard management, postharvest physiology and technology of fruit, sensory evaluation, quality evaluation and composition of fruit produce.

Guest Associate Editors

Ilaria Mignani

University of Milan, Italy

Ilaria Mignani, graduated in Agricultural Science, formerly Associate Professor at University of Milan (retired since 2019) at the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, focused her primary research lines in the study of physiology of fruit development, ripening, senescence, nutritional contents accumulation, influence of field factors on fruit quality, biochemistry of fruit cell walls, fruit postharvest physiology related to fruit quality, non-destructive methods to evaluate quality. She was Visiting Scientist at the Department of Pomology University of California, Davis, USA (1990 – 1991, 1993 and 1997); at the Department of Agricultural Engineering at Katholieke Universiteit, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Leuven, Belgium (1995); and at the Rutgers University, New Bruinswick, USA (1997). Her teaching commitment covered the courses of Postharvest Physiology of Horticultural Products, Tree Fruit Production, Plant-derived Foods, Plant Production and Arboriculture. Ilaria Mignani is author or coauthor of more than 130 articles in peer reviewed national and international journals, book chapters and congress communications, she was member of Italian Ministry of Research and Education and Italian Ministry of Agriculture Committees for Agrifood and Research Projects evaluation; she is referee of national and international journals for postharvest and fruit quality papers and member of the Italian Postharvest Physiology Group.

Maria Serrano Mula

Univeridad Miguel Hernandez Elche Orihuela (Alicante), Spain

She obtained her PhD degree (1990) in Biology. She has been teaching and researching at the university from 1990 and achieved the Professor staff in Plant Physiology in 2009. She has participated in 29 research projects, founded by Regional and Spanish Governments and European Commission and in 97 Research Contracts with National and International companies. She has published 192 Papers in international scientific journals with Impact Factor, included in JCR in Plant Science, Agriculture Multidisciplinary, Horticulture and Food Science and Technology categories, 138 of them in journal in Q1 positions. She has been author and / or editor of 6 Books and has published 12 Chapters in International Scientific Books. She has presented more than 250 Communications International and National Congresses and has been member of Organizing Committee, Scientific Committee, Moderator Roundtable and President of the Scientific Committee in 9 of them. She is currently in the top 2% of most cited scientists in the world according to elsevier.digitalcommonsdata.com. She has supervised 8 Doctoral Theses, being 1 of them International Thesis and is External Evaluator for 6 National and International Agencies and reviewer for more than 50 International Journals with Impact Factor (JCR). She is member of the Editorial Board of International Journal of Molecular Science, Journal of Applied Biology and Biotechnology and Plant and Editor of International Journal of Agronomy, Frontiers in Plant Science, Antioxidants and Postharvest Biology and Technology. She is the member of the Spanish Society for Horticultural Science (SECH), Spanish Society of Plant Physiology (SEFV) and International Society of Horticulture (ISHS) and the leader of The Fruit Postharvest Group of the Spanish Society of Horticultural Science.

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

current dynamics in the agri-food market require the horticultural and floricultural sector to ensure the supply of fresh, high-quality products, while simultaneously reducing postharvest losses and promoting sustainable practices. In this context, postharvest physiology and technologies play a crucial role in extending product shelf life, preserving qualitative attributes, and minimizing waste along the supply chain. This special issue aims to gather original research papers and review articles on the latest scientific and technological advances related to quality, storability, and sustainability of fresh and processed horticultural and floricultural products. Particular emphasis is placed on the integration of pre- and postharvest factors, the adoption of innovative low-impact technologies, the development of sustainable packaging, and strategies to enhance food security within a circular economy framework. Furthermore, studies on the nutraceutical potential of horticultural products and postharvest techniques aimed at reducing the use of chemical inputs are strongly encouraged, in response to the growing consumer demand for healthy, safe, and environmentally friendly food.

This special issue invites the scientific community to submit contributions exploring innovative strategies and research developments aimed at improving post-harvest quality in the horticultural sector. We welcome original research articles on, but not limited to, the following topics:
(i) Advanced Postharvest Precision Technologies and AI: exploring the latest advancements in artificial intelligence and precision technologies tailored for the postharvest management of horticultural products and ornamentals;
(ii) Preharvest Management, Postharvest Ripening, Quality Evaluation, and Preservation: discussing strategies for management before and after harvest, including innovative techniques for assessing and enhancing the quality and preservation of produce;
(iii) Postharvest Biochemistry and Physiology of Fruits, Vegetables, and Ornamentals: a deep dive into the biochemical and physiological changes that occur in horticultural products postharvest and their implications for quality and shelf life;
(iv) Safety and Sustainability in Postharvest Management: addressing the crucial aspects of safety and sustainability practices in the postharvest phase, ensuring that horticultural products are safe and produced via environmentally responsible methods;
(v) Minimal Processing and Innovative Packaging: exploring new trends and technologies in minimal processing approaches and the development of innovative packaging solutions that extend shelf life and reduce environmental impact;
(vi) Biotic and Abiotic Factors Affecting Shelf Life: investigating the various biotic and abiotic factors that influence the shelf life of horticultural products and flowers, including how to manage these factors to maintain quality.

Prof. Giuseppe Sortino
Prof. Ilaria Mignani
Prof. Maria Serrano Mula
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted following the instructions available on this page. Before submission, authors are kindly requested to carefully read the Instructions for Authors, where they will find all relevant information on manuscript preparation and formatting. Submission deadline: 30 January 2026.

This Special Issue welcomes the submission of original research articles, review papers, and short communications. Manuscripts can be submitted at any time before the indicated deadline. For authors planning a contribution, we encourage the prior submission of a tentative title and a short abstract (approx. 100 words) to the Editorial Office for announcement on the Special Issue webpage.

All submitted manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere (except for extended versions of conference papers, which must be clearly indicated and significantly expanded). Each manuscript will undergo a rigorous single-blind peer-review process conducted by experts in the field.

Italus Hortus is an international peer-reviewed open-access journal published by the Italian Society for Horticultural Science (SOI). Publication in Italus Hortus is free of charge. No article processing charges (APCs) apply.

We look forward to your valuable contributions to this Special Issue.

Postharvest Management of Mediterranean Crops
Special Issue (Closure: 30 January 2026)