DETECTION AND PREVENTION OF FUNGAL PATHOGENS IN HORTICULTURAL AND KIWIFRUIT PRODUCTS: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Abstract

Fruit, flower, and horticultural vegetables are under attack by fungal pathogens, which infect postharvest fruits in general, including kiwifruit. The impact of such pathogens leads to economic losses, reduced fruit quality, and market problems. The pathogens not only lead to postharvest losses but also disrupt food safety by producing toxic mycotoxins. This comprehensive review accounts for for fungal diseases in many horticultural plants, critical fungal diseases of fruit and vegetable plants, and their corresponding symptoms, e.g., the primary fungal diseases of kiwifruit, and discusses conventional, molecular, and emerging non-destructive methods for fungal pathogen detection and prevention. The traditional detection devices, such as visual inspection with the eye and cultivation, are time-bound and vulnerable. Besides, the application and use of current molecular technologies, such as PCR, qPCR, and LAMP, now enable specific identification. Nowadays, non-destructive disease detection techniques such as electronic noses and hyperspectral imaging enable early detection of various diseases without destroying the produce. This review also recommends several prevention strategies, including chemical control with various fungicides, cultural practices, and biological control using multiple approaches, such as beneficial microbes, essential oils, plant natural products, and nanotechnology-based strategies. Recently, emerging disciplines such as genome editing, precision horticulture, and microbiome sequencing are pillars of future advances in the prevention and early detection of plant fungal diseases.