Loss of pathogen resistance by harvested horticultural crops

 

 

Hongxia Qu,^1* Chun Yi^1,2 and Yueming Jiang¹

¹South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China

²Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

 

 

 

Abstract

Purpose of review: Postharvest diseases of horticultural crops cause great economic loss. Elucidation of loss of pathogen resistance by harvested horticultural crops is necessary and is an important topic because of health concerns regarding the level of chemical residues that remain on crops after application of fungicides. This article reviews research progress on loss of pathogen resistance by harvested horticultural crops and suggests prospects for future research in this area.

Main findings: The possible roles of morphological and biochemical changes in the loss of pathogen resistance by harvested horticultural crops (host) and the host-pathogen interaction are reviewed. Cellular walls and cellular membranes related to active oxygen species production and energy depletion, and levels of antifungal compounds in the host defence system are also discussed.

Limitations: It is likely that there are other mechanisms of loss of pathogen resistance by harvested horticultural crops that have not been well elucidated yet.

Directions for future research: More attention has to be paid to genetic, cytological and biochemical characterisation of the host-pathogen interaction of horticultural crops after harvest. Regulation of the synthesis of antifungal compounds also needs to be considered in order to develop efficient antifungal strategies for disease control of harvested horticultural crops.

 

Keywords: disease resistance; postharvest; horticultural crops; antifungal compounds; active oxygen species; energy depletion

 

Stewart Postharvest Review 2008, 2:4

Published online 01 April 2008

doi: 10.2212/spr.2008.2.4