Biological Control of Postharvest Diseases: The Evolution of New Concepts and Perspectives

Postharvest biological control based on the use of microbial antagonists has been the subject of research and development for more than three decades. Several formulated products have been developed; however, their widespread use has not been realized, which has led to the development of new concepts and paradigms to better describe, understand, and employ biocontrol systems under commercial conditions. In the first part of this review, the evolution of postharvest biocontrol and its current status are briefly discussed. This is followed by a discussion of new concepts of postharvest disease and biocontrol systems based on studies of the microbiome of fruits and vegetables during development, harvest, and storage. A deeper understanding of the assembly, composition, interactive dynamics, and functional impact of microbial communities will enable the development of strategies to manipulate/engineer beneficial microbial assemblages that effectively suppress infection and disease development in harvested fresh fruit and vegetables.