Protection of Citrus Fruits from Postharvest Infection with <i>Penicillium digitatum</i> and Degradation of Patulin by Biocontrol Yeast <i>Clavispora lusitaniae</i> 146

oleh: Mariana Andrea Díaz, Martina María Pereyra, Fabricio Fabián Soliz Santander, María Florencia Perez, Josefina María Córdoba, Mohammad Alhussein, Petr Karlovsky, Julián Rafael Dib

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2020-09-01

Deskripsi

Fungal rots are one of the main causes of large economic losses and deterioration in the quality and nutrient composition of fruits during the postharvest stage. The yeast <i>Clavispora lusitaniae</i> 146 has previously been shown to efficiently protect lemons from green mold caused by <i>Penicillium digitatum</i>. In this work, the effect of yeast concentration and exposure time on biocontrol efficiency was assessed; the protection of various citrus fruits against <i>P. digitatum</i> by <i>C. lusitaniae</i> 146 was evaluated; the ability of strain 146 to degrade mycotoxin patulin was tested; and the effect of the treatment on the sensory properties of fruits was determined. An efficient protection of lemons was achieved after minimum exposure to a relatively low yeast cell concentration. Apart from lemons, the yeast prevented green mold in grapefruits, mandarins, oranges, and tangerines, implying that it can be used as a broad-range biocontrol agent in citrus. The ability to degrade patulin indicated that strain 146 may be suitable for the control of further <i>Penicillium</i> species. Yeast treatment did not alter the sensory perception of the aroma of fruits. These results corroborate the potential of <i>C. lusitaniae</i> 146 for the control of postharvest diseases of citrus fruits and indicate its suitability for industrial-scale fruit processing.