Innovative strategies: using nontraditional chemical methods to enhance the application of biocontrol agents in post-harvest preservation of agricultural products

Post-harvest diseases pose a considerable threat to food safety and quality, and there is an urgent need for strong strategies to prevent and control them. In order to manage postharvest diseases of fruits and vegetables more efficiently, this review first describes various biocontrol agents (BCAs), including bacterial, fungal, and viral entities, and their basic principles in biocontrol. It then discusses the role of nontraditional chemical approaches, such as chemoinducers, plant extracts, essential oils, microbial metabolites, volatile compounds, and nanotechnology-based approaches, in postharvest diseases of fruits and vegetables. In addition, how nontraditional chemical methods can be utilized to enhance the effectiveness of BCAs is highlighted. The combination of nontraditional chemical methods and BCAs provides an innovative and effective strategy for preventing and controlling postharvest diseases. By utilizing the synergistic effects of various BCAs and nontraditional chemical methods, researchers have made significant progress in disease management. Notably, nanotechnology offers promising new avenues for the preparation and delivery of BCAs. Prospects for this research include the development of complex BCAs, international collaboration in the field of sustainable agriculture, and addressing regulatory challenges.