Postharvest Biology and Technology最新文献

{"title":"Preharvest application of alginate oligosaccharides enhances the postharvest storage of kiwiberry by regulating cell wall degradation","authors":"Md Saikat Hossain Bhuiyan ,&nbsp;Wenxia Wang ,&nbsp;Jin Gao ,&nbsp;Xiaochen Jia ,&nbsp;Hu Zhao ,&nbsp;Md Mijanur Rahman Rajib ,&nbsp;Heng Yin","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114102","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114102","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid degradation of the cell wall leads to firmness loss in fruit, resulting in a shorter shelf life and quality deterioration. Here, we evaluated the impact of preharvest foliar application of alginate oligosaccharides (AOS) on a perishable fruit kiwiberry (<em>Actinidia arguta</em>) over a 42 d storage period using physiological, molecular, and biochemical approaches. The selected plants were sprayed with the AOS solution 15 d before harvest, covering both the leaves and fruit surfaces. The preharvest AOS application significantly reduced decay incidence by about 60 %, maintained nearly twice the firmness, and 22 % less weight loss compared with control fruit after 42 d of storage. Transcriptome analysis reveals that AOS treatment downregulates the genes related to cell wall degradation. Moreover, biochemical analysis indicates that preharvest application suppressed the activation of cell wall degrading enzymes, reduced the solubilization of cell wall polysaccharides, and preserved their monosaccharide composition. These results reveal that preharvest application of AOS ensured the storability of kiwiberry by controlling cell wall degradation enzymes and gene expression. These findings highlight the significant potentiality of AOS preharvest treatments for delaying postharvest softening of kiwiberry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 114102"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145616984","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biocontrol and ecophysiological characterization of bacterial and yeast BCA candidates isolated from two different environments to control postharvest diseases","authors":"Ana María Sánchez ,&nbsp;Cristina Solsona ,&nbsp;Jonàs Oliva ,&nbsp;Neus Teixidó","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114174","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114174","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biocontrol agents are a sustainable alternative to chemical fungicides in postharvest protection. Part of their success depends on using strains able to persistently colonize the host and maintain a broad activity from the field to the storage facilities. In this report, we evaluated 213 potential biocontrol agents (124 bacteria, 78 yeasts, and 11 filamentous fungi) isolated from two contrasting environments, the Pyrenees Mountains and the Ebro Valley (Catalonia, Spain). Their efficacy was tested against the three main postharvest pathogens of apples: <em>Penicillium expansum</em>, <em>Botrytis cinerea</em>, and <em>Rhizopus stolonifer</em>. The results showed that 4 bacteria and 25 yeast strains were effective against these pathogens, reducing their incidence by more than 75 %. From these results, two <em>Pantoea agglomerans</em> and two <em>Vishniacozyma carnescens</em> were further studied in terms of growth at different temperatures and water availability <em>in vitro</em> and their persistence on apple surfaces. The ecophysiological characterization showed that the valley <em>P. agglomerans</em> strain tolerated lower water activities better than the mountain strain, suggesting adaptation to the region’s hot and dry climate. In contrast, the mountain <em>V. carnescens</em> performed better at low temperatures, while the valley strain showed superior growth at 30 ºC, consistent with their respective environmental origins. In conclusion, these results indicated the need to consider the environmental adaptability of potential biocontrol agents when searching for new BCA strains.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 114174"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Two-percent peppermint essential oil applied to fresh-box packaging delays browning and maintains the quality of fresh-cut lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)","authors":"Xiaoyun Ye ,&nbsp;Xu Jiang ,&nbsp;Shuzhi Yuan ,&nbsp;Xiaodi Xu ,&nbsp;Xiangbin Xu ,&nbsp;Jinhua Zuo ,&nbsp;Aili Jiang ,&nbsp;Xiaozhen Yue ,&nbsp;Qing Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114064","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114064","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Peppermint essential oil has antioxidant properties and inhibits bacterial growth. In the present study, a coating of 2 % peppermint essential oil was applied to the surface of the packaging of fresh-cut lettuce and found to delay browning and maintain product quality. When fresh-cut lettuce was stored at 4 °C, the peppermint oil treatment reduced respiratory intensity, ethylene generation, decreased the total number of viable yeast, mold, and bacterial cells, and inhibited polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity, enzymes associated with browning. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of fresh-cut lettuce revealed that the 2 % peppermint oil treatment had an inhibitory effect on arachidonic acid and alpha-linolenic acid pathway-related genes, including <em>lipoxygenase</em> (<em>LOX2S</em>), <em>allene oxide cyclase</em> (<em>AOC</em>) and <em>secretory phospholipase A2</em> (<em>TGL4</em>). Treated lettuce also displayed greater cell membrane integrity, which can be demonstrated by reduced levels of electrolyte leakage, enhanced antioxidant capacity, and inhibited chlorophyll degradation and chlorophyll degradation-related genes, including <em>chlorophyll-degrading chlorophyll (ide) b reductase</em> (<em>NOL</em>), red <em>chlorophyll catabolite reductase</em> (<em>RCCR</em>), <em>pheophorbidase</em> (<em>PPD</em>) and <em>pheophorbide</em> a <em>oxygenase</em> (<em>PAO</em>). Phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis was also affected by the peppermint oil treatment. Notably, the expression of genes encoding phenolic compound synthetases was reduced, including <em>chalcone isomerase</em> (<em>4CL</em>), <em>chalcone synthase</em> (<em>CHS</em>), and <em>caffeoylshikimate esterase</em> (<em>CSE</em>), which resulted in a delay in the onset of browning. Our results indicate that the treatment of fresh-cut lettuce with 2 % peppermint essential oil prior to storage delays browning and extends product quality. Thus, further research on this topic is warranted.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 114064"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145555213","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcription factor MiRAP2-3 mediated gibberellin-suppressed mango ripening through regulating MiACO1","authors":"Yu Cai ,&nbsp;Benfeng Zhang ,&nbsp;Jialiang Liu,&nbsp;Xiangbin Xu,&nbsp;Zhengke Zhang,&nbsp;Zhu Lisha","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114106","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114106","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The postharvest mangoes undergo rapid ripening that progresses to senescence, which limits their economic value. In this study, the role of exogenous gibberellin (GA₃) in regulating postharvest storage of mangoes was evaluated. The results showed that GA₃ treatment (200 mg L⁻¹) delayed the ripening of ‘Guifei’ mangoes, including color transformation, fruit softening, soluble solids accumulation, and ethylene production. Transcriptome analysis suggested that GA₃ may delay mango ripening by associated with plant hormone transduction, starch degradation and sugar transport. In addition, we found that the expression of RELATED TO AP2.3 (<em>RAP2–3</em>), was upregulated during mango ripening and was inhibited by GA₃. Yeast one hybrid (Y1H) and dual luciferase reporter (DLR) experiments indicated that MiRAP2–3 directly bound to the promoter of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase (<em>ACO1</em>) and activated its transcription. In summary, the results suggest that GA₃ may inhibit ethylene production during mango ripening by suppressing <em>MiRAP2–3</em> expression. This study provides a theoretical basis for the role of GA₃ in delaying mango ripening and offers new insights into the interaction of ethylene and gibberellin in mangoes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 114106"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated physiological, transcriptomic and lipidomic analyses reveal the role of trans-2-octenal in the postharvest preservation of fresh walnut kernels","authors":"Jiamei Yuan ,&nbsp;Yushan Du ,&nbsp;Kun Zhang ,&nbsp;Heyue Yang ,&nbsp;Guangjin Li ,&nbsp;Fengjun Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114112","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114112","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fresh walnut kernels are prized for their unique flavor and high nutritional value. However, they are highly susceptible to browning, decay and oxidative rancidity, resulting in postharvest quality deterioration. In the present study, the natural volatile compound trans-2-octenal (OCT) was found to be effective in inhibiting surface browning and discoloration of fresh walnut kernels during storage. Furthermore, OCT at 5 or 10 μL L^-¹ reduced decay incidence and oxidative rancidity, as evidenced by decreased acid and peroxide values, while maintained key quality attributes including firmness, moisture content, fat content and soluble sugar levels. Transcriptomic and physiological analyses revealed that OCT activated the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways, increased the total phenolic and flavonoid contents and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity, but decreased the activities of browning-related enzymes (polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase and lipoxygenase). Lipidomic profiling further revealed that OCT remodeled lipid composition, particularly the metabolites in glycerophospholipid metabolism, all of which are closely associated with lipid oxidation. These findings collectively elucidate the multifaceted role and mechanism of OCT in preserving postharvest quality, supporting its potential as a natural preservative for fresh walnut kernels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 114112"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physicochemical effects and flavor compound changes of aluminum foil–wrapped Tuber indicum under refrigeration","authors":"Yana Liu ,&nbsp;Yangyang Geng ,&nbsp;Shixin Zhang ,&nbsp;Bokai Hu ,&nbsp;Jihui Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.113992","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.113992","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Tuber indicum</em> is a highly prized medicinal and edible fungus. However, freshly harvested <em>T. indicum</em> is prone to rapid spoilage, leading to economic losses and decline in its nutritional value. This study aimed to examine the physicochemical effects and flavor compound changes of <em>T. indicum</em> wrapped in aluminum foil and refrigerated for 20 d. The findings revealed that aluminum foil wrapping delayed the spoilage under refrigeration by serving as a physical barrier. However, notable spore detachment and considerable weakening of the vein tissue were observed. The moisture loss was reduced in <em>T. indicum</em> during storage, and water gradually transitioned from a bound state to a free state, migrating from the inside to the surface. Aluminum foil wrapping promoted the coexistence of diverse functional bacterial communities, which played a role in retarding spoilage and preserving the fungal quality. The aluminum foil wrapping treatment exhibited lower hardness, higher adhesiveness, lower cohesiveness, and altered trends in gumminess and chewiness during later refrigeration stages. Exposure to an open environment accelerated the oxidation and volatilization of aldehydes, contributing to the deterioration of flavor. In contrast, aluminum foil wrapping proved advantageous in preserving key aroma compounds and minimizing the development of off-odors. Overall, this study provided an essential basis for understanding the behavioral characteristics of aluminum foil–wrapped <em>T. indicum</em> under refrigeration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 113992"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681911","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of harvesting method and storage on quality phenolic profile and fatty acid composition of olive fruit (Olea europaea L.)","authors":"Tea Burin,&nbsp;Mariana Cecilia Grohar,&nbsp;Jerneja Jakopic,&nbsp;Metka Hudina","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114127","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114127","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the biochemical and quality changes in mechanical and hand-harvested olive fruit of the cultivars 'Istrska belica' and 'Leccino' during storage. It investigated changes in phenolic compounds and fatty acid composition, analysed using HPLC and GC methods, to understand how different harvesting methods, affect olive quality during storage. The results showed that harvesting methods had different effect on fruit quality, which became more pronounced during storage. Hand-harvested olives maintained better fruit integrity, delaying slower degradation, whereas mechanically harvested olives showed greater damage at harvest, leading to accelerated biochemical changes. At harvest, 'Istrska belica' olives responded immediately to mechanical damage by accumulating phenolic compounds such as tyrosol (increased by 43 % from 18.3 to 26.1 mg/kg FW), verbascoside (33 % from 792 to 1049 mg/kg FW), hydroxytyrosol (55 % from 27.1 to 42.0 mg/kg FW), compared to manually harvested fruits, together with an increase in certain fatty acid compositions (palmitic (67 % from 11.2 to 18.7 mg/100 g FW), palmitoleic (96 % from 0.5 to 1.0 mg/100 g FW), stearic (49 % from 4.2 to 6.3 mg/100 g FW), and linoleic acids (44 % from 6.5 to 9.3 mg/100 g FW), probably due to membrane damage. In contrast, 'Leccino' fruits showed minimal metabolic differences compared between harvesting methods. During storage, the phenolic content of mechanically harvested 'Leccino' olives initially increased due to stress-induced metabolic activity, but significantly decreased after 16 days, indicating fruit deterioration. Meanwhile, hand-harvested 'Leccino' olives maintained stable phenolic and fatty acid profiles. During storage, mechanical harvesting of <em>'</em>Istrska belica<em>'</em> caused the degradation of oleuropein (for 21.9 %) and other phenolic compounds, while oleuropein degradation products such as tyrosol, elenolic acid, demethyloleuropein increased, whereas hand-harvested fruit maintained stable content of six phenolic compounds and four fatty acids.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 114127"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pyrazine-2-carboxylic acid delays juice sac granulation in pummelo through CgWRKY48-mediated repression of CgCAD1","authors":"Jin-mei Chang ,&nbsp;Ming-zhe Yang ,&nbsp;Yan-xue Guo ,&nbsp;Pan-pan Tong ,&nbsp;Tian-qi Guo ,&nbsp;Gui-zhen Gao ,&nbsp;Jian-ye Chen ,&nbsp;Lu-bin Zhang ,&nbsp;Hai-hua Luo ,&nbsp;Wei Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114170","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114170","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Postharvest lignification-induced juice sac granulation significantly deteriorates the quality of pummelo fruit. We identify pyrazine-2-carboxylic acid (PCA) as an effective preservative that maintains both sensory and biochemical attributes during storage, including the inhibition of lignin accumulation, preservation of juice sac integrity, protection of sugars (glucose, sucrose and fructose) and organic acids (tartaric acid and malic acid), and reduction of CAD and PAL activities. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that PCA suppresses phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, notably through the downregulation of <em>CgCAD1</em>, a key gene encoding cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase. Furthermore, CgWRKY48 was identified as a nucleus-localized transcriptional repressor that directly binds to the <em>CgCAD1</em> promoter and suppresses its transcription. Transient overexpression assays in Tobacco showed that CgWRKY48 suppresses lignin accumulation and the expression of phenylpropanoid-pathway genes, whereas CgCAD1 exhibits the opposite effect. This paper establishes a regulatory module that modulates lignin biosynthesis during fruit senescence, offering promising molecular targets for postharvest quality preservation in citrus fruits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 114170"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037447","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CmCIGR1 antagonizes CmICE1-mediated activation of CmPP2CA1, thereby promoting ABA-dependent postharvest ripening in melons","authors":"Hui Kong ,&nbsp;Mengjuan Hou ,&nbsp;Wenwen Xia ,&nbsp;Jin Li ,&nbsp;Jianbo Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114079","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114079","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Melons are prone to softening and dehydration after harvest, rapidly deteriorating in commercial quality at room temperature, which creates a bottleneck for the industry. This study investigated the function and mechanism of action of chitin-inducible gibberellin-responsive 1 (<em>CmCIGR1</em>), a gene highly expressed in gibberellin-repressed fruit, during the post-harvest ripening phase of melons. The results showed that after melon was picked, overexpression of CmCIGR1 significantly promoted ethylene release, respiratory burst and cell wall degradation, especially accelerated fruit softening and color change under abscisic acid (ABA) treatment. Transient overexpression experiments demonstrated that both CBF cold-inducible element of expression 1 (<em>CmICE1</em>) and Protein phosphatase 2 C A1 (<em>CmPP2CA1</em>) inhibited pericarp color change and maintained the fruit firmness. Protein interaction experiments (yeast two-hybrid, BiFC, and LCI) confirmed that CmCIGR1 interacts with CmICE1 in the nucleus. Yeast one-hybrid assay and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay showed that CmICE1 could directly bind to the CmPP2CA1 promoter and activate the expression of <em>CmPP2CA1</em>. In summary, <em>CmCIGR1</em> is transcriptionally repressed by gibberellin (GA) signaling, antagonizing the ABA negative feedback regulator <em>CmICE1</em>, thereby weakening the transcriptional repression of the core ABA signaling inhibitor <em>CmPP2CA1</em>, ultimately promoting ABA-mediated postharvest ripening of melon fruits. This study not only deepens our understanding of the mechanism by which GA and ABA interact to regulate postharvest fruit ripening but also provides a new molecular target for the development of targeted freshness-preservation technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 114079"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145616906","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antifungal mechanisms of Bacillus velezensis Shannan.BV80-12 extracellular metabolites against the citrus postharvest pathogen Penicillium italicum","authors":"Rong Wang ,&nbsp;Yali Tan ,&nbsp;Feiyan Dong ,&nbsp;Jiao Yang ,&nbsp;Xiao Li ,&nbsp;Tong Gu ,&nbsp;Jialan Zhang ,&nbsp;Li Li ,&nbsp;Mengxiang Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114091","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114091","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Blue mold, caused by the fungal pathogen <em>Penicillium italicum</em>, is one of the most prevalent postharvest diseases affecting citrus fruit globally. Biological control using antagonistic microorganisms or their metabolites represents an effective and sustainable strategy for managing postharvest diseases in fruit and vegetables. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of <em>Bacillus velezensis</em> Shannan.BV80–12, a previously identified broad-spectrum antifungal strain, to produce antifungal substances against citrus blue mold and to investigate the underlying mechanisms of their antifungal activity. The results showed that the cell-free supernatant (CFS) of strain Shannan.BV80–12 effectively inhibited spore germination and mycelial growth of <em>P. italicum in vitro</em>, and significantly reduced the incidence and severity of blue mold decay on citrus fruit <em>in situ</em>. Sequential fractionation of the CFS yielded fraction Fr.II-2–2–2 with antifungal activity against <em>P. italicum</em>. Notably, this antifungal activity was not due to commonly reported antagonistic metabolites produced by <em>Bacillus</em> spp., including known lipopeptides, proteins/peptides, nonpolar small molecules such as polyketides, and volatile organic compounds. Fr.II-2–2–2 disrupted the cell membrane of <em>P. italicum</em>, increasing membrane permeability and leading to the leakage of intracellular contents. Transcriptome analysis in <em>P. italicum</em> revealed that this effect primarily involves the suppression of integral membrane protein production at the transcriptional level, while also interfering with protein translation and post-translational processing in general. These findings enhance our understanding of the potential of <em>B. velezensis</em> Shannan.BV80–12 to produce novel antifungal substances, and highlight the potential of this bacterium as a candidate for developing eco-friendly biopesticides targeting citrus blue mold caused by <em>P. italicum</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 114091"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145616974","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}