Micronutrients and their effects on Horticultural crop quality, productivity and sustainability

Abstract

Horticultural crop quality is an important aspect of agricultural production because it directly influences customer preference, market value, and overall sustainability. Micronutrients are important for plant nutrition because they affect the growth, development, and quality of horticultural crops. This review provides an in-depth understanding of the role of micronutrients in horticultural crop quality and productivity. This study investigated the characteristics of micronutrients, their functions in plant growth and development, and the most prevalent micronutrient deficits in horticultural crops. This study discusses the obstacles and issues associated with each micronutrient treatment technique, including soil, foliar, and fertigation application. It also emphasizes the effects of micronutrients on horticultural crop quality, such as increased plant growth and yield, improvements in fruit quality attributes (size, color, and flavor), increased nutritional value and bioactive compounds, reduced postharvest losses, and extended shelf life. Micronutrient functions in plants have been studied, including absorption, transport, and accumulation, as well as interactions with other nutrients and signaling pathways. Recent research breakthroughs, such as studies on specific micronutrients, micronutrient interactions and synergies, innovative methods for micronutrient application and formulation, and developing technologies for micronutrient assessment, are also covered in this review. The practical consequences and recommendations for micronutrient management systems were investigated, as were concerns regarding sustainable and efficient micronutrient utilization and future research goals. Overall, this study underlines the importance of micronutrients in increasing crop quality and productivity, and the potential influence of future research on this subject.