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Fleshy Fruits are a late acquisition of plant evolution. In addition of protecting the seeds, these specialized organs unique to plants were developed to promote seed dispersal via the contribution of frugivorous animals. Fruit development and ripening is a complex process and understanding the underlying genetic and molecular program is a very active field of research. Part of the ripening process is directed to build up quality traits such as color, texture and aroma that make the fruit attractive and palatable. As fruit consumers, humans have developed a time long interaction with fruits which contributed to make the fruit ripening attributes conform our needs and preferences. This issue of Frontiers in Plant Science is intended to cover the most recent advances in our understanding of different aspects of fleshy fruit biology, including the genetic, molecular and metabolic mechanisms associated to each of the fruit quality traits. It is also of prime importance to consider the effects of environmental cues, cultural practices and postharvest methods, and to decipher the mechanism by which they impact fruit quality traits. Most of our knowledge of fleshy fruit development, ripening and quality traits comes from work done in a reduced number of species that are not only of economic importance but can also benefit from a number of genetic and genomic tools available to their specific research communities. For instance, working with tomato and grape offers several advantages since the genome sequences of these two fleshy fruit species have been deciphered and a wide range of biological and genetic resources have been developed. Ripening mutants are available for tomato which constitutes the main model system for fruit functional genomics. In addition, tomato is used as a reference species for climacteric fruit which ripening is controlled by the phytohormone ethylene. Likewise, grape is a reference species for non-climacteric fruit even though no single master switches controlling ripening initiation have been uncovered yet. In the last period, the genome sequence of an increased number of fruit crop species became available which creates a suitable situation for research communities around crops to get organized and information to be shared through public repositories. On the other hand, the availability of genome-wide expression profiling technologies has enabled an easier study of global transcriptional changes in fruit species where the sequenced genome is not yet available. In this issue authors will present recent progress including original data as well as authoritative reviews on our understanding of fleshy fruit biology focusing on tomato and grape as model species.

breeding --- fruit ripening --- fruit quality --- grapevine --- molecular mechanisms --- metabolic profiling --- tomato

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Agriculture is certainly the most important food supplier while it globally accounts for more than 70% of water used and contributes significantly to water pollution. Irrigated agriculture is facing rising competition worldwide for access to reliable, low cost, and high-quality water resources. However, irrigation as the major tool and determinant of affecting agricultural productivity and environmental resources plays a critical role in food security and environment sustainability. Innovative irrigation technologies and practices may enhance agricultural water efficiency and production, in the meantime decrease the water demand and quality issues. I am very pleased to invite you to submit manuscripts in agricultural irrigation which assess current challenges and offer improvement approaches and opportunities for future irrigation.

benchmarking --- evaluation of performance --- performance indicator --- principal component analysis --- climate change adaptation --- irrigated crops --- net irrigation requirements --- crop evapotranspiration --- monthly changes --- irrigation water regimes --- leaf mineral composition --- semi-arid regions --- available water capacity --- biomass production --- total yield --- pumping plants --- energy audit --- life cycle assessment --- greenhouse gas emission --- center-pivot irrigation --- treated wastewater irrigation --- salinization --- model simulation --- global sensitivity analysis --- farming data --- precision agriculture --- site-specific irrigation --- deficit irrigation --- Mediterranean region --- tomato fruit yield --- irrigation water use efficiency --- downy mildew --- drip irrigation --- irrigation management --- organic production --- spinach --- cover crop --- lettuce production --- irrigation --- mulch --- row cover --- temperature variations --- water application rate --- slope gradient --- infiltration depth --- optimal irrigation time

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One of the major knowledge challenges in the domain of Resilient and Sustainable Food Systems refers to the integration of perspectives on consumption, patterns that support public health, inclusive value chains, and environmentally sustainable food production. While there is a long record of the analysis of separate interventions, this special issue generates integrated insights, provides cross-cutting perspectives, and outlines practical and policy solutions that address these global challenges.The collection of papers promotes the view that sustainable food systems require thorough insights into the structure and dynamics of agri-food production systems, the drivers for integrating food value chains and markets, and key incentives for supporting healthier consumer choices. On the production side, potential linkages between agricultural commercialization and intensification and their effects for food security and nutritional outcomes are analyzed. Value Chains are assessed for their contribution to improving exchange networks and markets for food products that simultaneously support efficiency, circularity, and responsiveness. Individual motives and market structures for food consumption need to be understood in order to be able to outline suitable incentives to enhance healthy dietary choice.The contributed papers focus on interfaces between food system activities and processes of adaptive change that are critical for overcoming key constraints and trade-offs between sustainable food and healthy diets.

agricultural impacts --- climate change impacts --- integrated assessment model --- CGE model --- Ostrea edulis --- native oyster restoration --- North Sea --- site selection --- pilot study --- offshore wind farms --- sustainability --- food systems --- nutrition --- public-private cooperation --- corporate values --- sanitary control --- food safety --- prosperity --- sustainable development --- alternative agri-food networks --- transition theories --- grassroots innovations --- socio-technical systems --- agroecology --- ecovillages --- social movements --- certification --- organic agriculture --- Participatory Guarantee Systems --- Spain --- alternative certification systems --- food systems --- metrics --- interdisciplinarity --- sustainable food and nutrition security --- food system assessment --- participatory approach --- SUSFANS --- agribusiness cluster --- commercialization --- sustainable intensification --- dairy value chain --- farming system --- service arrangements --- Ethiopia --- Kenya --- sustainable diets --- diet adoption --- sustainable food system --- intention-behavior gap --- citizen participation --- innovation workshop --- Agricultural commercialization --- food and nutrition security --- salutogenesis --- life course perspective --- food systems --- multi-level --- positive deviance --- Myanmar --- social innovation --- agricultural commercialization --- nutrition sensitive transformation --- Myanmar --- vegetable consumption --- food choice motives --- knowledge --- self-efficacy --- socio-economic classes --- food environment --- Nigeria --- sustainable development goals --- sustainability assessment --- agricultural sustainability --- food security --- LCA broadening --- LCA deepening --- food systems --- interdisciplinary research --- feedbacks &amp --- interlinkages --- food policy --- 3I Approach --- value chain development --- participatory approach --- context-specific interventions --- behavioural change --- postharvest losses --- tomato --- Nigeria --- supply chain --- raffia basket --- plastic crate --- systems approach --- conceptual framework --- food loss practices --- food loss causes --- food loss solutions --- supply-chain stages --- literature --- socio-economic indicators --- tomato --- Nigeria --- adoption --- conservation agriculture --- social capital --- count outcome models --- pca --- marginal treatment effects --- Nigeria --- food security --- CGE model --- nutrition --- diet diversity --- land substitution --- agricultural intensification --- baseline projections --- commercialization --- Vietnam --- food system --- fertilizer use --- caloric intake --- dietary diversity Vietnam Living Standards Survey (VLSS)

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Natural products and the preparations based on them play a stable and ever-increasing role in human and veterinary medicine, agriculture, in food and the cosmetic industry, and in an increasing number of other fields. Their importance is based on the fact that they are mostly bound to renewable sources, which in fact makes them valuable within a circular economy, inter alia. At the same time, natural products provide the origin of stereochemistry, optical activity, regioselectivity, chirality, and many other concepts and directions within science, development, and industry in a scope, which is indispensable. They serve as a constant powerful stimulus and model that inspires researchers to create new effective tools, similar to natural ones, for controlling bioregulation mechanisms and solving practical problems. This was the reason for organizing this Special Issue aimed at underlining the current developments in all the fields connected to natural products.

insect sex pheromone --- tea tussock moth --- total synthesis --- resource chemistry --- phycocyanin --- biosynthesis --- antioxidant --- Spirulina --- gene expression --- apo-CpcB --- Plantago depressa --- octadecanoid --- fatty acid --- natural enantiomer --- anti-inflammation --- soy protein isolate --- bromelain --- triglycidylamine --- viscosity --- water resistance --- adhesive --- Ramulus mori --- polysaccharides --- bioactivity --- synthesis of natural products --- varioxiranol A --- 4-epi-varioxiranol A --- absolute structure --- Emericella variecolor --- caffeoylquinic acids --- chlorogenic acid --- derivatives --- lipid-lowering effects --- oleic acid-elicited --- HepG2 cells --- isosorbide --- reversible urethane linkages --- cell opening --- antioxidant activity --- radical scavenger --- flexible polyurethane foam --- tomato --- SlCOMT1 --- melatonin --- genetical transformation --- salt stress --- natural product --- RiPP --- ribosomally synthesized --- post-translationally modified peptides --- rheumatoid arthritis --- natural products --- polyphenol --- flavonoids --- phenolic acid --- stilbene --- ginkgolide --- platelet-activating factor receptor --- inhibitor --- pinocembrin --- microbial biosynthesis --- pharmacological activities --- pharmacokinetic features --- research progress --- triterpenoids --- bardoxolone methyl --- anticancer drug --- mitochondria --- apoptosis --- cancer cells --- cytotoxicity --- flow cytometry --- live-cell fluorescence microscopy --- PEGylated purpurin 18 --- photodynamic therapy --- photosensitizer --- phototoxicity --- singlet oxygen --- n/a

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Discovered in plants at the turn of the century, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been found to be fundamental to many aspects of plant biology. These small (20–24 nt) regulatory RNAs are derived via processing from longer imperfect double-stranded RNAs. They are then incorporated into silencing complexes, which they guide to (m)RNAs of high sequence complementarity, resulting in gene silencing outcomes, either via RNA degradation and/or translational inhibition. Some miRNAs are ancient, being present in all species of land plants and controlling fundamental processes such as phase change, organ polarity, flowering, and leaf and root development. However, there are many more miRNAs that are much less conserved and with less understood functions. This Special Issue contains seven research papers that span from understanding the function of a single miRNA family to examining how the miRNA profiles alter during abiotic stress or nutrient deficiency. The possibility of circular RNAs in plants acting as miRNA decoys to inhibit miRNA function is investigated, as was the hierarchical roles of miRNA biogenesis factors in the maintenance of phosphate homeostasis. Three reviews cover the potential of miRNAs for agronomic improvement of maize, the role of miRNA-triggered secondary small RNAs in plants, and the potential function of an ancient plant miRNA.

microRNAs --- dehydration --- desiccation --- resurrection plants --- Tripogon loliiformis --- post-transcriptional gene silencing --- miRNAs --- miR171 --- pollen --- STTM --- tapetum --- callose --- tomato --- Arabidopsis thaliana --- abiotic stress --- heat stress --- drought stress --- salt stress --- microRNAs (miRNAs) --- miRNA target gene expression --- RT-qPCR --- tasiRNA --- phasiRNA --- miRNA --- secondary siRNA --- Arabidopsis thaliana --- phosphorous (P) --- phosphate (PO4) stress --- microRNA (miRNA) --- miR399 --- PHOSPHATE2 (PHO2) --- DOUBLE-STRANDED RNA BINDING (DRB) proteins DRB1 --- DRB2 --- DRB4 --- miR399-directed PHO2 expression regulation --- RT-qPCR --- plastocyanin --- photosynthesis --- copper deficiency --- Cu-microRNA --- copper protein --- target mimicry --- maize (Zea mays L.) --- miRNA --- phasiRNA --- tasiRNA --- agronomic traits --- crop improvement --- Solanum lycopersicum --- drought --- Colorado potato beetle --- miR159 --- MYB transcription factors --- P5CS --- proline --- putrescine --- miR159 --- GAMYB --- programmed cell death --- aleurone --- tapetum --- vegetative growth --- flowering --- circRNA --- microRNA --- non-coding RNA --- argonaute --- immunoprecipitation --- plant --- miRNAs --- development --- abiotic stress --- nutrient availability --- circular RNAs --- tasiRNA --- phasiRNA