Microbial antagonists in postharvest management of fruit

Abstract

Currently postharvest loss of food commodities is a global challenge and it has been estimated that nearly 30%-50% of the fresh products were lost during the postharvest storage due to pathogenic attack, improper storage, transportation, or packaging. The pathogenic attack during postharvest storage is considered as the prime factor for postharvest loss. Conventionally, breeders frequently utilized chemical pesticides or fungicides to manage pathogenic attack and enhance the shelf life of food products. However, inappropriate and continuous use of chemical pesticides lead to adverse impacts such as chemical residue, low-quality product, and environmental contaminants, or phytopathogens resistance. Thus, there is a need to search for an alternative, that must be eco-friendly, cost-effective, and free from chemical residue. The microbial antagonism is an emerging approach and is broadly utilized in managing the growth of pathogens during pre- or postharvest storage. This chapter summarizes the latest approach and mode of action of microbial antagonists in managing the pathogens of fresh products during postharvest storage. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.