A Review on Bio-Based Control of Post-Harvest Diseases

Bacillus subtilis non-pathogenic beneficial bacteria, promotes plant growth, disease resistance and tolerance to abiotic stresses. It produces bioactive substances with antibiotic properties and induces physiological features in plant metabolism without adverse effects on the environment or human health. Bacillus subtilis has been used to treat various postharvest diseases during handling, transportation and storage of various fresh fruits and vegetables. It is the first microorganism patented as a postharvest bio control agent for Brown rot of stone fruits, improving the post-harvest physiology of various fruit/vegetables. Bacillus strains AG1 and H110 have been shown to be effective against Vine wood fungal pathogens and post-harvest pathogens. They have been shown to reduce symptoms of Anthracnose in fruit caused by fungal pathogens Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and C. acutatum and White rot caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea. Endophytic Bacillus strains have been developed that can colonize plant tissues and live in the same ecological niches as pathogens, thus preventing post-harvest diseases and improving preservation during storage. Bacillus strains induce auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins, ABA, JA and SA in plants, which can stimulate plant growth under stressful conditions. Endophytic bacteria can induce ISR against pathogens and abiotic stressors, extending the shelf life of stored fruits and vegetables. Microbial antagonists can be applied after harvest to control fruit and vegetable diseases, but a single microbial strain cannot prevent all fruits/vegetables from decaying during storage. Combining diverse antagonistic microorganisms with diverse microbial activity and combining various bio-controlling characteristics can prevent post-harvest decay on fruits/vegetables.