Fungi in the Postharvest of Agricultural Commodities
摘要
Postharvest diseases caused by fungal pathogens are among the major contributors to postharvest losses. An estimated $150 billion is lost due to postharvest constraints globally. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and stored cereal grains are the most affected commodities by postharvest losses. Postharvest diseases are often associated with “latent” or “quiescent” infections, wherein the pathogen infects the host at an earlier stage (typically before harvest) but enters a state of dormancy until favorable conditions occur. Latent infections are more commonly associated with postharvest diseases in fruits. However, they are also reported in vegetables such as those incited by Colletotrichum species and Botrytis cinerea. On cereal grains, toxigenic fungi (e.g., Aspergillus species) are often contaminated during storage and marketing. This chapter discusses common postharvest diseases caused by fungi in fruits, vegetables, and cereal grains and the various disease control strategies used. Finally, this chapter examines emerging and innovative approaches for future postharvest disease management, including, but not limited to, genomics, edible coatings, nanotechnology, plant chemistry, and RNA interference. Continued exploration of these technologies and their adoption (either singly or in combination) may hold promise for the future of postharvest disease management.