Changes of the microbial community in kiwifruit during storage after postharvest application of Wickerhamomyces anomalus

High-throughput sequencing techniques can provide important information for understanding the interaction between exogenous microbial agents and fruit microbial communities, and explain how it controls postharvest fungal diseases. In this study, we found that Wickerhamomyces anomalus could control the postharvest disease of kiwifruit. Meanwhile, high-throughput sequencing technology results showed that the composition and structure changes of the fungal community in microbial flora were significantly greater than those of bacteria after W. anomalus treated. W. anomalus could colonize inside the fruit and regulate the community composition of bacteria to reduce the abundance of pathogens and eventually maintain the healthy state of the fruit. The dominant genus in the microbiota of kiwifruit after application of W. anomalus showed an increased ability to interact. Some fungi or bacteria are positively associated with yeast in the epiphytic and endophytic sample communities, guiding the synthesis of compound biocontrol strains for kiwifruit postharvest diseases.

Automated summary

This study found that Wickerhamomyces anomalus can control the postharvest disease of kiwifruit. High-throughput sequencing technology revealed that the changes in fungal composition and structure in the microbial community were greater than those of bacteria after W. anomalus treatment. W. anomalus can colonize inside the fruit and regulate the composition of bacterial community to reduce pathogen abundance and maintain fruit health.