About This Journal
Horticultural Science and Technology (abbr. Hortic. Sci. Technol., herein ‘HST’; ISSN, 1226-8763), one of the two official journals of the Korean Society for Horticultural Science (KSHS), was launched in 1998 to provide scientific and professional publication on technology and sciences of horticultural area. As an international journal, HST is published in English and Korean, bimonthly on the last day of even number months, and indexed in ‘SCIE’, ‘SCOPUS’ and ‘CABI’. The HST is devoted for the publication of technical and academic papers and review articles on such arears as cultivation physiology, protected horticulture, postharvest technology, genetics and breeding, tissue culture and biotechnology, and other related to vegetables, fruit, ornamental, and herbal plants.
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Research Article

- Spinach Germination and Seedling Growth Promoted by Electrical Stimulation via Negative Air Ions
- Joung-Il An, Moon-Sun Yeom, Myung-Min Oh
- Electrical stimulation, also referred to as ‘electroculture’ is an agricultural technique used to enhance crop productivity and improve quality. In the present …
- Electrical stimulation, also referred to as ‘electroculture’ is an agricultural technique used to enhance crop productivity and improve quality. In the present study, electrical stimulation via air ionization–defined as the exposure of plants to electrically charged air molecules (negative air ions)–was applied using negative air-ion generators placed around spinach seeds and seedlings to boost germination and early growth. Three levels of the air ionization treatment–low (LA, 3.6 × 105 ion·cm-3), moderate (MA, 5.1 × 105 ion·cm-3), and high (HA, 8.3 × 105 ion·cm-3)–were applied, along with a control (Con). After 14 days of the air ionization treatment, the germination rate in LA was 36% higher than that in Con. In addition, the LA treatment for 12 h increased gibberellic acid levels and decreased the abscisic acid content. At the seedling stage, the shoot fresh weight in the HA treatment was at least 31% higher than that in the Con at days 7, 14, and 21. The 4C nuclear DNA content of spinach leaves was higher in the LA treatment than in the Con. Furthermore, with regard to the cell division phases, the ratios of the S and G2M phases were high in all air ionization treatment groups, indicating active cell division. The results suggest that a specific level of electrical stimulation improves both spinach seed germination and seedling stages. - COLLAPSE
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Research Article

- Assessing the Discriminatory Power of Leaf Morphometric Traits in Capsicum annuum by means of a Linear Discriminant Analysis
- E.M.B.M. Karunathilake, Jinhyun Ahn, Piya Kittipadakul, Supachai Vuttipongchaikij, Hyun Jo
- Leaf morphometric traits are widely utilized to identify plants, yet their effectiveness when used to discriminate large Capsicum collections remains unclear. This …
- Leaf morphometric traits are widely utilized to identify plants, yet their effectiveness when used to discriminate large Capsicum collections remains unclear. This study assessed whether eight leaf size and shape traits could reliably classify 371 and 352 C. annuum accessions collected in 2021 and 2022. Comprehensive diagnostic testing revealed major violations of the assumptions required for linear discriminant analysis (LDA), including non-normal trait distributions, unequal covariance matrices, and severe multicollinearity among predictors. Shape descriptors further exhibited nonlinear dependencies incompatible with LDA. As a result, LDA models produced unstable discriminant functions and extremely low agreement between predicted and true accession labels. Given these limitations, unsupervised methods were employed. K-means clustering identified eight phenotypic groups in 2021 and three in 2022, and a principal component analysis (PCA) supported these patterns, with the first two components capturing the primary axes of the leaf size and shape variation. However, strong overlap among accessions in the PCA space indicated weak morphological differentiation, likely reflecting strong environmental influence and limited genetic divergence with regard to the leaf form. These findings indicate that basic leaf morphometric traits alone are insufficient for accession-level classification in C. annuum. Robust discrimination will require integrative phenotyping frameworks that combine geometric, physiological, biochemical, and genomic traits, supported by measurement technologies. - COLLAPSE
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Research Article

- Plant Quality Indices: Review, Development, and Conceptual Framework
- Jae Hwan Lee, Samuel Lee, Eun Bin Cha, Seungdon Joo, Jeong Geun Lee, Sang Yong Nam
- Evaluating plant quality indices is a crucial task in horticulture, agriculture, and forestry, given that these indices quantify key plant production attributes, …
- Evaluating plant quality indices is a crucial task in horticulture, agriculture, and forestry, given that these indices quantify key plant production attributes, including biomass allocation, morphological stability, and structural integrity. Despite advancements in the development and testing of plant quality indices, there is an over-reliance on conventional indices, which limits the ability to capture fully the complexity and diversity of modern experiments in plant physiology. Among the most widely used metrics are the Dickson quality index (DQI), the compactness index, and the shoot-to-root ratio (S/R), all of which have long served as standard indicators for assessing seedling vigor and overall plant quality. Although these indices are valuable owing to their simplicity and broad applicability, they often fail to incorporate physiological performance capabilities or capture the full spectrum of morphological variations. In this study, we first provide a concise review of these conventional indices, i.e., their derivation, strengths, and limitations. Building on this synthesis, we then propose a series of complementary plant quality indices formulated to integrate additional morphological and physiological parameters. Specifically, we introduce the balanced morpho-structural index (BMSI), shoot-root efficiency index (SREI), compact biomass index (CBI), top-heavy index (THI), root investment ratio (RIR), morphological complexity index (MCI), leaf efficiency index (LEI), simple growth quality index (SGQI), and structural stability index (SSI), which are derived by integrating important quantitative parameters, in this case, morphological traits (e.g., plant size, leaf number, and branch number) and biomass. In addition, we present the integrated morphophysiological index (IMI) and two variants: a square-root variant applied to the morphological component (IMImorpho) and a square-root variant applied to the full index (IMItotal). All three integrate quantitative morphological and biomass parameters with physiological indicators, specifically the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Together, these indices constitute a new suite of plant quality indices that complements, rather than replaces, existing ones. By integrating both morphological diversity and physiological soundness, this suite addresses the structural limitations inherent in widely used plant quality indices and provides a more comprehensive assessment of plant quality as a proof-of-concept framework that lays the groundwork for broader application across plant groups and cultivation conditions, pending empirical validation. - COLLAPSE
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Research Article

- Assessment of Genetic and Floral Morphological Uniformity in Tissue-Culture-Derived Clones of Hibiscus syriacus ‘Nanpa’
- Ji-Hi Son, Hyeon-Jin Sun, Hyo-Yeon Lee
- In this study, we evaluated the genetic and floral morphological uniformity of clonal Hibiscus syriacus ‘Nanpa’ plants regenerated through tissue culturing using …
- In this study, we evaluated the genetic and floral morphological uniformity of clonal Hibiscus syriacus ‘Nanpa’ plants regenerated through tissue culturing using mature green leaves. Morphological traits and random amplified polymorphic DNA banding patterns were analyzed to assess variations among clones. Most clones showed highly uniform floral morphologies and genetic profiles. However, somaclonal variations were observed in Clones 25, 28, and 36, which exhibited deviations in both the molecular markers and morphological characteristics. These results highlight the dual potential of tissue culturing when used to generate novel genetic variants and the importance of verifying genetic fidelity during micropropagation. The combined use of morphological evaluations and molecular marker analysis ensures clonal stability in commercial propagation systems. This study provides insights into somaclonal variations in H. syriacus and supports the application of tissue culture techniques in plant breeding and large-scale production. - COLLAPSE
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Research Article

- Effects of Preharvest Alginate Coating on Fruit Quality Attributes, Physiological Disorders, and Phenolic Compounds in the Fruit of ‘Haegeum’ Kiwifruit during Shelf Life
- Jiwon Park, Youngmin Kim, Hyowon Park, Joohyuk Jo, Theint Thandar Latt, Si-Eun Byeon, Jinhee Lee, Jinwook Lee
- After harvest, kiwifruit is susceptible to physiological disorders, such as fruit shriveling and fruit decay during shelf life. Alginate coating has therefore …
- After harvest, kiwifruit is susceptible to physiological disorders, such as fruit shriveling and fruit decay during shelf life. Alginate coating has therefore garnered interest as a method to control the incidence of these disorders in kiwifruit during postharvest handling. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of different preharvest alginate coating concentrations on fruit quality attributes, physiological disorders, and phenolic compounds, as well as to examine the relationships between physiological disorders and response variables in ‘Haegeum’ kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) throughout its shelf life. The severity of fruit decay and shriveling was highest in 0% alginate coating treatment, compared with other concentrations. Fruit weight loss was also highest in 0% alginate-coated fruit, compared with 1% and 2% alginate-coated fruit. The 2% alginate coating treatment significantly reduced ethylene production and respiration rates. Flesh firmness was lowest in 1% alginate, compared with the other treatments. The contents of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, and total carotenoids were highest in the 1% alginate-coated fruit. While decay was positively correlated with procyanidin B2, fruit shriveling was positively correlated with ascorbic acid, total phenolic compounds, fresh weight loss, ethylene production, respiration rate, and peel redness during 14 days of shelf life. Overall, our results showed that alginate coating can reduce the incidence of decay and shriveling by suppressing the ethylene production and respiration rates in ‘Haegeum’ kiwifruit during shelf life. - COLLAPSE
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Research Article

- Responses of Grapevine Rootstocks at Physiological, Biochemical, and Molecular Levels to Waterlogging Stress
- Emmie Mauligen, Essam Elatafi, Basma Elhendawy, Yang Siling, Li Shaonan, Sabir Iqbal, Abdul Hakeem, Wang Lei, Jinggui Fang
- This study investigated the tolerance mechanisms of grapevine rootstocks (SO4 and 101–14) to waterlogging stress during 28 days. Waterlogging severely impaired morphological …
- This study investigated the tolerance mechanisms of grapevine rootstocks (SO4 and 101–14) to waterlogging stress during 28 days. Waterlogging severely impaired morphological traits (roots, height, stem, leaves) in both. However, SO4 exhibited significantly greater tolerance than the highly sensitive 101–14. Morphologically, SO4 maintained healthy leaves for 14 days (similar to controls), with damage only appearing after 21–28 days, and developed adaptive adventitious roots despite browning. In contrast, 101–14 showed severe leaf damage (etiolation, chlorosis, wilting) by day 14, complete leaf abscission by day 28, and suffered root loss, necrosis, and disintegration. Physiologically and biochemically, SO4 maintained moderate gas exchange (stomatal conductance, transpiration, CO2 uptake, photosynthesis) and better retained photosynthetic characteristics (carotenoids and chlorophyll). SO4 also activated antioxidant processes (SOD, CAT, POD, APX) earlier and more strongly, resulting in controlled levels of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide, indicating lower levels of oxidative damage. Proline and sugars also increased more in SO4. Conversely, 101–14 experienced severe declines in these areas and exhibited the highest MDA/H2O2 levels. A molecular analysis (qPCR) revealed that the distinct tolerance of SO4 involved significantly higher upregulation of seven stress-responsive genes related to anaerobic metabolism (ADH1), ROS homeostasis (RBOH, POD), protein/membrane stabilization (Stress-Induced Protein, LEA), and stress signaling (KEG, CML). This coordinated response underpinned SO4’s sustained energy, efficient antioxidants, reduced oxidative damage, chlorophyll retention, and its maintenance of photosynthesis. The limited gene activation in 101–14 aligned with its physiological collapse. Therefore, the SO4 rootstock demonstrates superior adaptive capacity to waterlogging and is recommended for cultivation under such conditions. - COLLAPSE
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Research Article

- Organ-Specific Cuticular Wax Composition across Epicuticular and Intracuticular Layers in Leaves and Petals of Phalaenopsis ‘Mantefon’
- Min Kyung Lim, Wan Soon Kim
- The deterioration of indoor air quality is a major environmental and public health concern, and interactions between particulate matter (PM) and plant …
- The deterioration of indoor air quality is a major environmental and public health concern, and interactions between particulate matter (PM) and plant surfaces have been recognized in indoor horticulture. Because PM deposition and retention are influenced by cuticular wax chemistry and by surface microstructures, we quantified cuticular wax compositions in the leaves and petals of Phalaenopsis ‘Mantefon’ by separately extracting epicuticular and intracuticular waxes (EW, IW). The total wax load was substantially higher in the leaves (73.067 µg·cm-2) than in the petals (22.481 µg·cm-2), primarily due to strong alkane accumulation in the leaf EW and IW (41.971 and 26.501 µg·cm-2, respectively). In the petals, the total wax loads were comparable between EW (11.430 µg·cm-2) and IW (11.051 µg·cm-2), although the compound class allocation differed markedly depending on the layer. Petal EW was dominated by fatty acids (60.7%), whereas petal IW exhibited increased contributions of alkanes (47.4%) and primary alcohols (20.1%), with a detectable triterpenoid fraction observed only in the petals. Carbon chain length distributions further distinguished organs and layers, with petals showing shorter-chain alkanes (C17 to C24), fatty acids extending to longer chains with C28 predominance, and primary alcohols enriched in petal IW with major homologs at C32 and C34. Scanning electron microscopy revealed abundant wax crystals on leaf surfaces but sparse crystalline structures on petals, consistent with the contrasting chemical organizations. Overall, these results demonstrate clear organ- and layer-dependent differences in cuticular wax loads and compositions in P. ‘Mantefon’, providing a quantitative reference dataset for future functional studies under indoor relevant conditions. - COLLAPSE
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Research Article

- Far-red light intensity influences the physiology and herbivory resistance of bok choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis)
- Meng-Yuan Huang, Kuan-Hung Lin, Ching-Wen Tan, Chuan-Ming Yeh, Ching-Wen Wang, Chung-I Chen, Hsin-Yu Teng, Shi-Peng Chen
- Controlled environment agriculture is employed to optimize the yield of leafy vegetables, such as bok choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis). …
- Controlled environment agriculture is employed to optimize the yield of leafy vegetables, such as bok choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis). Despite preventative measures, indoor cultivation leaves the plants susceptible to herbivorous pests, highlighting the potential of light spectra adjustments to improve both productivity and pest resistance in vertical farming systems. This study investigated the effects of supplemental far-red (FR) light at different intensities on the morphology, physiological processes, and resistance to Spodoptera litura larvae of bok choy plants. Our results show that high FR levels significantly promote plant growth traits, including plant height, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, and fresh weight. The FR treatment also influenced photosynthetic parameters, with higher FR intensity levels reducing chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, except for non-photochemical quenching, compared to control treatments. In addition, leaf flavonoid and polyphenol contents increased after the FR treatment, while chlorophyll b, anthocyanin, and carotenoid contents were reduced. Following these physiological changes, we also observed that S. litura larvae gained less weight when feeding on FR-treated plants. Our findings suggest that an optimal strategy for regulating FR spectra can improve growth performance and defense capability outcomes in bok choy plants against insect herbivory, leading to higher production yields that benefit growers. - COLLAPSE
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Research Article

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Comparative Analysis of Reproductive and Vegetative Resource Allocation Strategies between Licorice Species (Glycyrrhiza uralensis and G. korshinskyi) under Varying Temperatures
온도 변화에 따른 감초 종(Glycyrrhiza uralensis, G. korshinskyi)별 유성 및 영양번식 자원 배분 전략 비교
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Yong Il Kim, Jeong Hoon Lee, Young Ho Yoon, Jae Hwan Kim, Myeong Ja Kwak, Su Young Woo
김용일, 이정훈, 윤영호, 김재환, 곽명자, 우수영
- This study aimed to investigate the long-term effects of temperature variations on the reproductive and underground characteristics of two licorice species—Glycyrrhiza …
본 연구는 온도 변화가 감초 두 종(Glycyrrhiza uralensis, 만주감초 / G. korshinskyi, 원감)의 생식 및 지하부 특성에 미치는 영향을 …
- This study aimed to investigate the long-term effects of temperature variations on the reproductive and underground characteristics of two licorice species—Glycyrrhiza uralensis and G. korshinskyi (Wongam)—under a controlled-temperature gradient tunnel (TGT) system over a five-year cultivation period. The experiment analyzed aboveground growth, flowering, fruiting, and underground biomass accumulation in response to temperature shifts across T1 to T4 zones (with up to a 5.9°C difference). Results indicated that G. uralensis exhibited significantly reduced flowering and fruiting under higher-temperature zones, with an average of only 2.2 flowers and 0.2 fruits per plant in the second year, compared to 56.2 and 24.6 respectively for Wongam. In contrast, Wongam maintained stable reproductive output under elevated temperatures, though its reproductive yield plateaued after the third year. A correlation analysis showed a strong positive association between shoot length and flowering number (r = 0.809–0.972) and a strong negative association between high temperatures and fruit numbers, particularly in July (r = ‒0.742 – ‒0.978). An underground biomass analysis in the fifth year revealed that Wongam allocated approximately 91% of its underground mass to rhizomes, compared to 63% in G. uralensis, indicating a shift toward vegetative propagation. These findings suggest divergent reproductive strategies between the two species: G. uralensis gradually increases sexual reproduction with age, while Wongam exhibits early flowering followed by a shift to clonal propagation via rhizomes. This research provides foundational physiological insights for optimizing seed production and cultivar management of licorice in warming climates.
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본 연구는 온도 변화가 감초 두 종(Glycyrrhiza uralensis, 만주감초 / G. korshinskyi, 원감)의 생식 및 지하부 특성에 미치는 영향을 규명하고자, 온도구배터널(Temperature Gradient Tunnel, TGT) 내에서 5년간 장기 재배 실험을 수행하였다. T1–T4의 구간별로 최대 약 5.9°C의 온도 차이를 갖는 조건에서 생육, 개화, 결실 및 지하부 생체량을 조사하였다.그 결과, G. uralensis는 고온 구간에서 개화 및 결실이 크게 저하되었으며, 2년차의 주당 평균 개화수와 결실수는 각각 2.2개, 0.2개에 불과하였다. 반면 원감 품종은 같은 해에 각각 56.2개, 24.6개로, 조기 개화 및 결실 능력이 우수하게 나타났으며, 고온에서도 생식 성과가 비교적 안정적으로 유지되었다. 다만, 원감은 3년차 이후 결실량 증가가 둔화되었다. 상관분석 결과, 초장과 개화수 간에는 강한 정(+)의 상관관계(r = 0.809–0.972)가 나타났으며, 특히 7월 평균기온과 결실수 간에는 강한 부(‒)의 상관관계(r = ‒0.742 ~ ‒0.978)가 확인되어 고온의 영향이 뚜렷함을 시사하였다. 5년차 지하부 분석 결과, 원감 품종은 전체 지하부의 약 91%를 지하경에 배분한 반면, G. uralensis는 약 63% 수준으로 나타나, 종 간 번식 전략의 차이를 반영하였다. 이러한 결과는 G. uralensis가 연차 증가에 따라 유성생식을 강화하는 반면, 원감 품종은 조기 개화를 보인 후 클론 번식을 위한 지하경 생장으로 전환하는 전략을 갖고 있음을 시사한다. 본 연구는 향후 지구 온난화 환경에서 감초의 품종 이용 체계 및 종자 생산 기술 개발을 위한 기초자료로 활용될 수 있다.
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Comparative Analysis of Reproductive and Vegetative Resource Allocation Strategies between Licorice Species (Glycyrrhiza uralensis and G. korshinskyi) under Varying Temperatures
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Research Article

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Modeling Lettuce Growth in Vertical Farms: Approaches and Strategies
수직농장에서 상추 생육 모델링: 접근법과 전략
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Bohyun Sung, Kyungryoon Oh, Geunhyuk Ko, Hyejin Kim, Young-Yeol Cho
성보현, 오경륜, 고근혁, 김혜진, 조영열
- Vertical farming is an advanced agricultural system that provides precise environmental control to promote uniform crop growth and enables planned year-round production. …
수직농장은 정밀한 환경 제어를 통해 균일한 작물 생장을 촉진하고 연중 계획된 생산을 가능하게 하는 첨단 농업 시스템이다. 본 연구에서는 완전제어형 수직농장에서 상추를 …
- Vertical farming is an advanced agricultural system that provides precise environmental control to promote uniform crop growth and enables planned year-round production. This study investigated lettuce growth in a fully controlled vertical farm over 31 days, measuring shoot fresh and dry weights to develop growth prediction models. Several mathematical models, in this case linear, quadratic, exponential, sigmoid, and expolinear functions, were evaluated for their suitability. Linear and quadratic models showed limited accuracy and practical limitations, while the exponential model did not account for the growth deceleration observed in lettuce, making it unsuitable. The sigmoid and expolinear models both effectively captured the biological growth pattern characterized by slow initial growth, a rapid mid-stage increase, and a late-stage plateau. Notably, the expolinear model demonstrated the highest predictive accuracy, with coefficients of determination exceeding 0.99 in the fitting data and 0.93 in validation data during the marketable growth period (up to 28 days after transplanting). Beyond this period, excessive leaf growth reduced market value, emphasizing the need for growth modeling focused on commercial quality maintenance. These findings highlight the expolinear model as a reliable tool for predicting lettuce growth and optimizing harvest timing in vertical farms.
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수직농장은 정밀한 환경 제어를 통해 균일한 작물 생장을 촉진하고 연중 계획된 생산을 가능하게 하는 첨단 농업 시스템이다. 본 연구에서는 완전제어형 수직농장에서 상추를 31일간 재배하며 생체중과 건물중을 측정하여 생육 예측 모델을 개발하였다. 선형, 2차, 지수, 시그모이드, 선형지수 함수 모델을 평가한 결과, 선형 및 2차 모델은 제한된 정확도를 보였고, 지수 모델은 상추의 성장 둔화를 반영하지 못해 부적합하였다. 시그모이드와 선형지수 모델은 느린 초기 성장, 급격한 중기 성장, 후기 성장 정체라는 생물학적 성장 패턴을 효과적으로 포착하였다. 특히 선형지수 모델은 학습 데이터에서 0.99 이상의 결정계수를 보였으며, 검증 데이터에서도 0.93 이상의 높은 예측 정확도를 나타내어, 시장성 있는 생육 기간(정식 후 28일) 내 예측에 적합하였다. 이후 과도한 잎 성장으로 상품 가치가 저하됨에 따라, 상업적 품질 유지 기간 내 생육 모델링의 중요성이 강조되었다. 본 연구 결과는 수직농장에서 상추 생육 예측과 수확시기를 최적화하기 위한 신뢰있는 모델로 선형지수 모델을 강조하였다.
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Modeling Lettuce Growth in Vertical Farms: Approaches and Strategies


Horticultural Science and Technology








