Biofungicides for Management of Postharvest Diseases

Currently, food consumption has been growing exponentially, and agricultural production has developed technologies that allow it to meet the necessary demand. However, the agri-food industry presents various complications and obstacles, one of the most important being the loss of crops due to pathogens both at harvest and post-harvest. Within the group of parasitic agents are bacteria, nematodes, viruses and fungi, the latter being the ones that present the highest percentage of loss due to their infestation or sequelae generated in plants. Until now, most products of synthetic origin have been used for their control, but it has been seen that they cause different damages to the environment and to the health of consumers, for which less harmful control alternatives have been generated. One of these alternatives is the use of biofungicides based on plant extracts, microbial metabolism or different cellular or enzymatic structures to minimize damage or prevent plant infection. Various investigations have shown that the use of these compounds is capable of controlling infections caused by phytopathogenic fungi such as Fusarium, Alternaria, Aspergillus, etc. However, biocontrollers still have some problems or disadvantages compared to synthetic products, so the application of new technologies can enhance their effect. One of the most advanced technologies in this area and with promising results is nanotechnology, which promises a greater biological effect in the control of microorganisms.