Horticultural food produces are important contributors to human nutrition and health as they provide various essential nutrients, bioactive compounds and dietary fiber. With the rise in living standards, the demand for safe, healthy and nutritious horticultural produces is increasing. Horticultural food produces refer to fruits and vegetables. Generally, fresh fruits and vegetables are highly perishable in nature due to their structural composition and cannot maintain their edible quality for longer periods. This causes huge losses of fresh fruits and vegetables around the globe. However, for maintaining optimum postharvest quality, appropriate technologies before or after harvest can play an important role. Preharvest factors determine the quality and nutritional value of the harvested horticultural commodities. Growth and development during the pre-harvest period are considered very critical as it will determine the ultimate quality of the final harvested produce.

There are many pre-harvest factors including environment (low or high temperature, light, precipitation, moisture, pollution and soil), physiological and biological factors (disorders, pest and pathogens), cultural practices (nutrition, irrigation, pruning and training, bagging, spraying and harvesting strategy) and genetic factors. All these factors have an important impact on final produce quality and its nutritional value. Similarly, there are many post-harvest factors such as handling, packaging, storage and transportation which also greatly influence the horticultural produce quality. Further, post-harvest diseases and disorders are not only detrimental to the horticultural produce quality but also pose a serious threat to human health. Thus, basic understanding and manipulation of pre- and post-harvest factors affecting post-harvest quality and nutritional value of horticultural produces remains an interesting area of research under the current scenario of technological advances and emergence of artificial intelligence and digitalization.

Therefore, this Special Issue aims to welcome research topics exploring the recent technological advances and emerging artificial intelligence in pre- and post-harvest research that have direct or indirect effect on ultimate quality and nutritional value of horticultural produces. We especially welcome articles that provide the knowledge of growing methods, growing conditions, treatments (pre- and post-harvest) and postharvest operations including distribution and transportation of fresh and processed horticultural produces. We welcome both original research and review articles.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Emerging production practices and technologies to improve postharvest quality and nutritional value of horticultural produces
• Advanced technologies to maintain the safety of fresh and processed horticultural produces
• Advanced research to understand the mechanism of postharvest physiology in fresh horticultural produces
• Emerging technologies (use of irradiation, edible films and coatings, chemical and gaseous treatments etc.) to maintain the freshness and extend shelf-life of horticultural produces
• Factors affecting quality losses during supply chain
• Recent advances in packaging materials and packaging techniques
• Technological advancements in modified and controlled atmosphere storage to maintain quality of fresh produces
• Emerging analytical techniques to assess the microbiological factors affecting postharvest quality
• Novel techniques to determine the sensory value of fresh and minimally processed produces
• Consumer perception about different preservation techniques used for processing of horticultural produces
• Artificial intelligence for advancements in pre- and postharvest management and consistency in food supply
• Innovative green preharvest and postharvest technologies for environmental and food sustainability