Review: Utilization of antagonistic yeasts to manage postharvest fungal diseases of fruit

Significant losses in harvested fruit can be directly attributable to decay fungi. Some of these pathogenic fungi are also the source of mycotoxins that are harmful to humans. Biological control of postharvest decay of fruits, vegetables and grains using antagonistic yeasts has been explored as one of several promising alternatives to chemical fungicides, the use of which is facing increasingly more stringent regulation. Yeast species have been isolated over the past two decades from a variety of sources, including fruit surfaces, the phyllosphere, soil and sea water, and their potential as postharvest biocontrol agents has been investigated. Several mechanisms have been proposed as responsible for their antagonistic activity, including competition for nutrients and space, parasitism of the pathogen, secretion of antifungal compounds, induction of host resistance, biofilm formation, and most recently, the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in defense response. It has been recognized that a biocontrol system is composed of a three-way interaction between the host (commodity), the pathogen and the yeast, all of which are affected by environmental factors. Efficacy and consistent performance in controlling postharvest diseases are the hurdles that must be overcome if the use of yeast biocontrol agents and other alternatives are to be widely used commercially. Therefore, attempts have been made to combine alternative treatments in order improve their overall performance. The current review provides a brief overview of the topic of the use of yeasts as postharvest biocontrol agents and includes information on the sources from which yeast antagonists have been isolated, their mode of action, and abiotic stress resistance in yeast as it relates to biocontrol performance. Areas in need of future research are also highlighted. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.