Work

Consortia of biocontrol agents provide improved control of apple postharvest diseases compared to monocultures

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Postharvest diseases caused by fungal pathogens, such as Penicillium expansum and Botrytis cinerea , are responsible for apple fruit losses during storage and commercialization. Biological control agents (BCAs) using antagonistic microorganisms are an alternative to traditional fungicides, providing effective results while ensuring environmental safety. This study tested whether a microbial consortium of two distinct strains from different climatic conditions is more effective and stable than single strains. The selected pairs of microorganisms were presumably adapted to different ecological niches and consisted of the bacterium Pantoea agglomerans strain B296 (BV), isolated from the Ebro Valley, and the yeast Vishniacozyma carnescens L157 strain (YM), from the Pyrenees Mountains in Catalonia (Spain). The postharvest biocontrol potential of the microbial candidates was evaluated in real postharvest conditions. Prior to that, an analysis of their population dynamics and the minimum effective dose were carried out, after which, a fluidised-bed spray-dried formulation was developed and applied individually and in consortia. Efficacy was assessed against P . expansum and B . cinerea on two apple varieties (‘Golden Reinders’ and ‘Mandy’) under different storage conditions. The efficacy results showed that the consortium of two BCAs at a concentration of 10 7 CFU mL -1 effectively controlled P. expansum and B. cinerea under certain room temperature and cold storage conditions better than when applied separately. Therefore, the novel water dispersible granules (WG formulations) of two microorganisms, formulated together in a consortium using the fluidised-bed spray drying system, demonstrated significantly improved survivability compared to the individual formulations. Our results showed the potential of microbial consortia as a sustainable biocontrol product, as they performed better under certain storage conditions compared to the individual isolates in postharvest disease control. The use of consortia instead of monocultures represents a step forward in postharvest disease management, offering a promising alternative to chemical fungicides.

Source: Food Control

DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2026.112368

Authors: Ana María Sánchez, Jonàs Oliva, Carla Casals, Cristina Solsona, Neus Teixidó

Institutions: Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Universitat de Lleida

Language: English

Topic: Postharvest Quality and Shelf Life Management

Subfield: Plant Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,340