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Controlling postharvest losses of potato using biocontrol products and Kylie A Crampton Gosford Primary Industries Institute, Industry and Investment, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia Abstract Purpose of review: The review focuses on the use of biocontrol products and essential oils for the control of postharvest losses in the Australian potato industry, with the objective of highlighting areas that require further research. Findings: The need to reduce both the use and the environmental impacts of pesticides has resulted in increasing development of alternative control methods on a global level. Despite this, commercially available alternative options for controlling the postharvest losses of potatoes due to soft rot, dry rot and sprouting remain limited in Australia. This deficiency will need to be addressed in the near future, and the use of biocontrol agents and essential oils may be suitable solutions. Directions for future research: Further research is required for both biocontrol products and essential oils before use in the control of postharvest losses will become adopted. Future work should concentrate on developing locally obtained antagonistic microbes to a commercial level, and should also investigate the potential of phage-based biopesticides. Increasing knowledge of the effects of Australian essential oils against postharvest pathogens would provide benefit to both potato production and processing, and also essential oil industries. With this knowledge, future research will then need to develop delivery systems suitable to the produce being targeted, while determining the synergistic effects of oil combinations, and compatibility with potential biocontrol agents would assist adoption of these emerging control strategies by the horticulture industry. Keywords: biocontrol products; essential oils; postharvest losses; rots; sprouting; potato Stewart Postharvest Review 2010, 3:8 Published online 01 September 2010 doi: 10.2212/spr.2010.3.8 |