Biofortification and Photoregulation: From Molecular Insights to Safe and Sustainable Crop Solutions

Submission Deadline: 31 July 2026 View: 704 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editors

Dr. Sarah Caronni

Email: sarah.caronni@unimib.it

Affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan Bicocca, Milan, 20126, Italy

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Research Interests: phytoremediation, plant-bacteria interactions, invasive plants and algae, phytochemistry, secondary metabolites

Dr. José Pinela

Email: jose.pinela@iniav.pt

Affiliation: National Institute for Agricultural and Veterinary Research (INIAV, I.P.), Rua dos Lágidos, Lugar da Madalena, Vairão - Vila do Conde, 4485-655, Portugal; CIMO, La SusTEC, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Bragança, 5300-253, Portugal

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Research Interests: microgreens, plant biofortification, phytochemistry, secondary metabolites, plant toxins, vertical farming, food safety, food chemistry

Summary

Light is a potent regulator of plant physiology, shaping metabolic pathways and nutritional quality through its spectrum, intensity, and duration. In controlled environments (e.g., indoor vertical farms), precision light management offers unprecedented opportunities to enhance crop nutrient density, either independently or in synergy with agronomic biofortification approaches. Meanwhile, over 2 billion people worldwide suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, underscoring the urgent need for scalable strategies to improve the nutritional value of food crops.

This Special Issue explores how light regimes and nutrient biofortification can optimize plant growth and development, stress resilience, and accumulation of nutrients and bioactive compounds. Food safety must also be considered, as plant species vary in their tolerance to high nutrient levels, with some capable of accumulating them to potentially harmful concentrations. Understanding species-specific differences is crucial to ensure that biofortification and light management strategies deliver safe, high-quality foods. We invite contributions that connect fundamental mechanisms—from photoreceptor-mediated signaling to nutrient uptake, translocation, and accumulation—with applied innovations for sustainable and safe crop production systems.

We welcome interdisciplinary research on topics including, but not limited to:
· Light-driven modulation of micronutrient uptake, speciation, and metabolic efficiency.
· Biofortification strategies (soil/foliar supplementation, fertigation) and their effects on plant development, safety, and quality traits.
· Regulation of secondary metabolite biosynthesis (e.g., phenolics, terpenes, alkaloids) under tailored light and nutrient regimes.
· Molecular mechanisms linking light perception to nutrient metabolism, including gene expression and signaling pathways.
· Translational studies in crops, ranging from controlled environments and soilless systems to field trials, with clear implications for food quality and safety.

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