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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Kearneysville, West Virginia » Appalachian Fruit Research Laboratory » Innovative Fruit Production, Improvement, and Protection » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #348853
Title: Biological control of postharvest pathogens

Author
item ZAPATA, YIMMY - Corpoica
item COTES, ALBA MARINA - Corpoica
item JIJAKLI, HAISSAM - University Of Liege
item Wisniewski, Michael

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/28/2018
Publication Date: 6/15/2018
Citation: Zapata, Y., Cotes, A., Jijakli, H., Wisniewski, M.E. 2018. Biological control of postharvest pathogens. In: Cotes, A.M., editor. Control biologico de fitopatogenos insectos y acaros. Agrosavia, Bogata, Colombia. p. 222-259.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Postharvest diseases of harvested commodities cause significant reductions in food availability and financial profits. Additionally, regulatory agencies are increasingly restricting or banning the postharvest use of synthetic chemical fungicides. This has increased the need to develop more ecofriendly approaches to postharvest disease management, such as biological control using antagonistic microorganisms. Utilization of biocontrol agents has received considerable attention over the past three decades. However, a few yeast or bacteria-based biocontrol products are either in advanced stages of development or commercially available. The reduced success of postharvest biocontrol products has been attributed to several problems, including difficulties in mass production and formulation of the antagonists, the physiological status of the harvested commodity and its susceptibility to specific pathogens, as well as low and inconsistent efficacy under commercial conditions, low profitability, difficulties in market penetration and perception of the customers/industry, and small size companies with low available resources to maintain development and commercialization. Although many studies have been conducted on the mode of action of postharvest microbial antagonists, its understanding is still very incomplete. In this regard, a systems approach, that takes into account all the components of the biocontrol system, may represent the best approach to investigating the network of interactions that exist. This review attempts to highlight that post-harvest management technologies require a systemic approach that goes from simplicity to complexity, understanding that complex problems may require multiple interventions at different points of the process.