Pilot study on the potential of implementing biological control strategies and soft products for postharvest control of plant pathogens of pome fruit in South Africa

Chemical fungicides provide good control of postharvest fungal decay of pome fruits. However, a continuous use of fungicides has led to major public concerns regarding fungicide toxicity and development of resistance by pathogens. The overall aim of this research was to evaluate various alternative control strategies that can be used to reduce dependency on synthetic fungicides. Recently, the use of non-chemical products to control decay caused by postharvest pathogens has been widely investigated and have the potential to replace synthetic fungicides. This review describes the effectiveness of using biological control agents, soft products, sanitizers, essential oils and plant extracts for the management of postharvest diseases of pome fruits. A short-list of biological control strategies and soft products with potential for postharvest control of plant pathogens of pome and stone fruit in South Africa included Peracetic acid, Chlorine dioxide, Cryptococcus albidus and related Cryptococcus species, Avogreen and related Bacillus species, Trichoderma species, and Sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide.