Recent advances in postharvest technology of Asia pears fungi disease control: A review

Abstract

Postharvest storability of Asia pears is a powerful challenge due to fungi infection. Spoilage diseases such as blue mold, black spot rot, and brown rot reduce the fruit quality and shelf-life, resulting in significant economic losses. Control of postharvest diseases with chemical fumigation has proven effective against fungal infections, however, environmental impact and development of resistant strains limit their full utilization. Non-chemical treatments such as hot water dip and biological control, when used alone or combined with other techniques have been demonstrated to be effective and reliable in retarding microbial growth while retaining the physiological and sensory qualities of Asia pears under different storage conditions. Edible coatings, gaseous ozone, and irradiations are among a few emerging techniques that have shown great potential and are widely used in the preservation of fresh produce. However, key knowledge on their optimization and mode of action in postharvest fungi diseases control is limited. This review provides a complete description of the various fungi causing disease in Asia pears, their source of infection, and symptoms of spoilage. An overview of the existing and emerging postharvest diseases control methods and their mechanism of action on spoilage pathogen are discussed. The current drawbacks of these technologies and their potential scope for commercial applications are well addressed.