Increased interest for potent nutraceuticals has prompted the research and breeding community to look beyond conventional plant sources. Traditionally, wild flowering and fruiting plants such as species of the Cornus, Rosa or Sambucus genus were included in human diets and new sources are now investigated in contemporary studies. Flowers, leaves, fruits and other parts of ornamentals are thus not only inspiring due to their visual and landscaping traits but can be explored and exploited further – for their phytochemical composition linked to various applied functions. These include functional foods, food additives and colorants, allelochemicals, plant growth stimulants, natural products for pest and disease control among others. Plant-based and natural supplements are gaining importance; increasing the synthesis of favorable metabolites in ornamental plants will be an important focus in the future.

The goal of this Research Topic is to broaden the data on all segments of ornamental plant photochemistry – from gene expression and biosynthesis steps towards metabolomics and accumulation of specific compounds with various functions. The purpose is to highlight current research in phytonutrient synthesis of flowers, fruits, and other parts of ornamental plants and advocate specific wild and cultivated species as sources of phytonutrients for applied purposes.

This Research Topic aims to enrich the knowledge on synthesis pathways of ornamental plants, particularly pigments and diverse nutraceutical compounds, and propose application of phytochemicals as food additives, plant growth stimulators, pest control products and other. We encourage submission of Original Research, Reviews and Methods on the following topics, but not limited to:
-Elucidation of detailed steps in biosynthesis of phenolics and other metabolites in ornamentals;
-Stimulants and stressors affecting over-or under-expression of key genes in ornamentals;
-Mechanisms underlying the activity of ornamental plant phenolic compounds in biological systems;
-Nutraceutical compound accumulation in flowers, fruits, leaves, and roots of wild or cultivated ornamentals;
-Ornamental plants phytochemicals as food supplements and colorants;
-Ornamental plant phytochemicals with potent functions against weeds, pests and diseases.

An additional aim is to present global views on this topic and to encourage women, minority, and early-career researchers to contribute to this Research Topic.

Please note that descriptive studies and those defining gene families or descriptive collection of transcripts, proteins, or metabolites, will not be considered for review unless they are expanded and provide mechanistic and/or physiological insights into the biological system or process being studied.

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Frontiers in Plant Science

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