Antimicrobial peptides in post-harvest management of fruits

Modern agriculture is more prone to insect, pest, and disease attacks. Fruits are considered perishable crops compared to cereals and pulses. Fruits are majorly lost after harvest during storage, known as the post-harvest period, due to insect and pest infestations, pathogen attacks, and unfavorable environmental conditions. Conventionally, pesticides, fungicides, and some antibiotics are used to control the post-harvest diseases in fruits. However, the use of these conventional chemicals and antibiotics has been strictly restricted because of their drawbacks, such as leaving residues on fruits for extended periods, causing environmental effects, and, most notably, the development of resistance by many microorganisms against the commonly used antibiotics. Thus, there is an immediate need for an alternative method to control post-harvest diseases in fruits. The use of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is the best promising alternative for efficiently controlling post-harvest diseases caused by microbes. The present review focuses on insect-derived AMPs, their use in post-harvest management of fruits, and the mechanism of action of AMPs.