Eco-friendly biocontrol strategies for management of postharvest fungal decays in kiwifruit: A review

Kiwifruit is known for its rich content of nutrients and significant economic value. Global cultivation of kiwifruit has been increasing along with the amount of land being dedicated to its production. Regrettably, postharvest fungal decays, such as those caused by Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium expansum, Alternaria alternata, Botryosphaeria dothidea, Nigrospora oryzae, and others, pose a significant challenge to the kiwifruit industry, and are responsible for substantial losses during storage, transportation, and local marketing. Biological control of postharvest diseases is seen as a safe and sustainable strategy and as a result has received considerable interest for its potential in disease management. The present review provides an overview of the research conducted on the major postharvest diseases of kiwifruit and the use of biocontrol agents to manage these diseases. It also reviews the status of microbial formulations and the impact of environmental factors on biocontrol efficacy. The need for further research on the utilization of microbial consortia to manage postharvest diseases of kiwifruit is discussed as a major new approach to biological control.