Effect of natural compounds in management of post-harvest fungal diseases

Fungal pathogens cause extensive damage and reduce the quality of fruits and vegetables by ۵% to ۱۰% in developed countries and more than ۵۰% in developing countries. Awareness of the dangers of synthetic fungicide residues on plant products and the increase in demand for organic products cause the current concerns about the purity of food and also desire to use environmentally safe compounds in control of fungal diseases after harvest of various crops. Therefore, a diverse range of essential oils and plant extracts and their effective compounds with strong antifungal, antiaflatoxicogenic effects and a wide range of antimicrobial effects are considered as suitable alternatives to synthetic fungicides in the management of post-harvest fungal pathogens on various fruits and vegetables.

Keywords:

Essential oils , Fruits and vegetables , Fungal diseases , Plant extracts