Product Quality Management in Vegetables Under Abiotic Stress

Biotic stress includes pathogens such as fungi and bacteria that can damage plant tissues locally and systemically. In addition, abiotic stress factors such as sub-optimal and higher temperatures, amount of water, light conditions and food sources can severely affect the performance of plants.

In this context, plants have developed a wide variety of strategies to cope with challenging conditions, especially negative changes in growth processes and stresses in their defense systems. These strategies often represent a dilemma for plants, as they require different models of resource allocation. When growing plants for use in human nutrition, farmers face a similar dilemma: Along with high crop yields, there is a growing demand for vegetables rich in health benefits. These beneficial compounds are mostly secondary plant metabolites synthesized as a result of abiotic or biotic stresses. This is especially true for vegetable crops rich in secondary metabolites such as polyphenols or carotenoids.

In addition, vegetables may contain substances with undesirable properties such as oxalates and nitrates. Therefore, it is a critical issue to grow vegetable crops with a high yield, as well as a maximum content of beneficial compounds and a minimum content of negative compounds. Significant research around the world focuses on pre- and post-harvest procedures that can be used to achieve these goals.

The book, which I have reviewed and sent the link for you and those who are involved in the issue, contains 11 successful articles that deal with the effects of abiotic stress on the modulation of vegetable quality. ( Please click here to review the book .)