Contribution of molecular tools in the development of products based on antagonistic microorganisms, for the control of post-harvest diseases

Abstract

Currently European legislation ((EU) No. 546/2011) requires a rigorous risk assessment before registering a biological fungicide as a postharvest plant protection product for fruit, and before placing it on the market. This evaluation should include information on the ability of the biological control agent (BCA) to colonize, persist and spread, as well as possible pathways of spread under normal conditions of use. Molecular methods based on the detection of nucleic acids by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique can be of great help to researchers working on biological control. In this paper, briefly introduce the program for developing a BCA, and present examples of how molecular tools have been used to generate valuable information for the registration of an effective BCA against post-harvest fruit pathogens.