article · Agronomy
Citrus fruits are globally significant crops that face major post-harvest losses from fungal pathogens. While synthetic fungicides have served as the conventional control method, environmental risks and rising consumer demand for chemical-free produce have driven interest in biological alternatives. Antagonistic yeasts represent a viable solution for managing citrus decay. These beneficial microorganisms employ diverse modes of action to suppress major post-harvest diseases caused by pathogens including Penicillium digitatum, Penicillium italicum, and Geotrichum citri. Transitioning from laboratory research to commercial use presents several practical implementation challenges. Adopting yeast-based biocontrol strategies can maintain fruit quality and safety, decrease chemical dependency, and support more sustainable post-harvest practices across the citrus supply chain.
Post-harvest spoilage severely impacts citrus growers and suppliers worldwide. Developing natural biocontrol solutions using yeasts helps reduce reliance on chemical pesticides, lowering environmental harm while addressing consumer demand for pesticide-free food. Finding viable alternatives protects harvest volumes and supports safer, more sustainable fruit production.
Yeast-based biocontrol solutions offer direct applications for citrus growers, packing facilities, and post-harvest crop protection companies seeking alternatives to synthetic fungicides. The technology could form the basis of commercial biofungicide formulations. However, practical implementation challenges remain, indicating that wide-scale adoption is not yet immediate and requires overcoming deployment barriers before reaching mainstream market integration.
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Citrus fruits stand as pivotal and extensively cultivated fruit crops on a global scale, boasting substantial economic and nutritional significance. Despite their paramount importance, citrus growers and the industry face a formidable obstacle in the form of post-harvest losses caused by plant pathogens. Effectively addressing this challenge has become imperative. The predominant approach to tackle these pathogens has traditionally involved the use of chemical fungicides. However, the escalating environmental concerns associated with chemical interventions, coupled with a growing consumer preference for pesticide-free produce, have catalyzed an earnest quest for alternative methods of disease control in the citrus industry. The antagonistic yeasts hold great promise as biocontrol agents for mitigating post-harvest fungal diseases in citrus. In this regard, this review summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding the study of yeast strains with biocontrol potential. Thus, the various modes of action employed by these yeasts and their effectiveness against prominent citrus pathogens such as Penicillium digitatum, Penicillium italicum and Geotrichum citri were discussed. Additionally, the review delved into the challenges associated with the practical implementation of yeast-based biocontrol strategies in citrus post-harvest management and investigated the potential of yeast-based approaches to enhance the safety and quality of citrus produce, while reducing the reliance on chemical fungicides and contributing to the sustainable and environmentally responsible future of the citrus industry.
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DOI: 10.3390/agronomy14020288
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