Harvesting Intelligence: Environmental Perception and Crop‑Machine Interaction for Crop Quality Preservation

Harvesting is a decisive turning point in the life of a crop: the physiological and structural state of grains, fruits, and vegetables at the moment of detachment, together with the mechanical forces they experience during and immediately after harvest, largely determines their final quality, storability, and market value. Variability in crop phenotype, tissue maturity, moisture content, and viscoelastic properties makes crops differentially vulnerable to bruising, cracking, shatter, and internal injury. Such damage triggers wound responses, accelerates water loss, respiration, and senescence, and creates entry points for pathogens, translating into measurable losses in nutritional and sensory quality. Although recent advances in sensing and adaptive harvesting open new opportunities to reduce these losses, a fundamental question remains insufficiently understood: how do harvesting conditions shape crop quality, and how can it be preserved from field to store?This Research Topic seeks to deepen our understanding of how crop quality is established and maintained through the harvesting process and the period immediately following it. We invite contributions that characterize the physiological, biochemical, and biomechanical responses of crops to harvest‑induced stress, and that identify the tissue‑ and maturity‑dependent thresholds beyond which quality is compromised. We are equally interested in strategies that translate this knowledge into practice: harvest‑timing decisions informed by crop quality indicators, cultivar and phenotype traits conferring damage tolerance, and harvesting approaches designed to minimize injury and preserve quality, including adaptive and intelligent methods assessed through the quality of the harvested product. By connecting crop physiology, damage mechanisms, and quality preservation, the collection aims to build an evidence base for reducing harvest and immediate postharvest losses across grains, fruits, and specialty crops, supporting more sustainable and higher‑value food production.We welcome Original Research, Reviews, Mini‑Reviews, Methods, and Brief Research Reports addressing, but not limited to: · Physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of crops to harvest‑induced mechanical injury and wound signaling · Biomechanical and viscoelastic characterization of crop tissues and its relationship to bruising, cracking, and shatter susceptibility · Crop maturity, phenotype, and cultivar traits associated with damage tolerance and quality retention · Harvest‑timing and decision‑support approaches driven by crop quality indicators · Low‑damage and quality‑preserving harvesting strategies and their effects on crop nutritional, sensory, and storage quality · Links between harvest handling and immediate postharvest quality, shelf‑life, and loss reduction · Quality assessment methods and non‑destructive indicators of harvest‑related damage in grains, fruits, and specialty crops-------We welcome contributions from researchers across the field, and we are glad to support you as you prepare your submission. If you would like early feedback on whether your planned manuscript fits the scope of this Research Topic, please write to us at plantscience@frontiersin.org before submitting. A quick check at this stage helps confirm your work is a strong fit and can save you time later in the process.To take part, click “Participate in this topic” at the top right of this page, then confirm through the “Participate” link in the follow-up email. This lets us know to expect your contribution, keeps you informed of key deadlines, and gives you access to resources that guide you through submission. We would also be glad to talk with you about possible routes for support with the Article Processing Charge (APC).We look forward to your participation and to building a vibrant, cohesive Research Topic together. Topic editors: Changsu Xu, Han Tang, Yang Liu, Zhongcai Wei, Emilio Lo Presti Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80565/harvesting-intelligence-environmental-perception-and-crop-machine-interaction-for-crop-quality-preservation