Editorial: Multi-omics and computational biology in horticultural plants: from genotype to phenotype, volume II

Abstract

Editorial on the Research TopicMulti-omics and computational biology in horticultural plants: from genotype to phenotype, volume II Horticulture, an integral component of the broader field of agriculture, has played a pivotal role in the development of human civilization. The shift from nomadic lifestyles to settled farming communities was greatly enabled by advancements in horticultural practices. This domain encompasses the scientific, technological, and artistic aspects of growing, breeding, processing, and commercializing various plant types, such as ornamental species, flowers, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and herbs. In recent years, there has been a surge in the sequencing of numerous horticultural plant genomes (Marks et al., 2021). The field of multi-omics and computational biology, particularly as they relate to horticultural plants and transition from genotype to phenotype, have experienced significant growth and diversification (Cao et al., 2022a). This progress has been driven by the incorporation of high-throughput technologies and innovative computational methods, yielding profound insights into plant physiological adaptation and biological mechanisms. The current Research Topic is focused on merging advanced omics and computational biology techniques to associate genotypes with phenotypes and link genetic markers to traits in various horticultural crops (Figure 1). This Research Topic showcases a collection of 24 scholarly articles. Within this assemblage, two pieces are comprehensive reviews, while the other 22 constitute original research papers. Among these, a pair delves into the genome sequencing of horticultural crops. Three articles focus on the study of fruit crops, another trio sheds light on vegetable research, and a single paper explores the realm of Chinese herbal medicine. Additionally, Frontiers in Plant Science frontiersin.org 01