PubMed · 2026-06-20
A new review consolidates what researchers have learned about how the fungus Penicillium digitatum rots citrus fruit after harvest, and how living microbes can be used to stop it without chemical fungicides. The research highlights genetic tools that revealed how the fungus attacks fruit, alongside promising microbial communities that fight back through competition, chemical warfare, and triggering the fruit's own defenses.
CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing has identified specific fungal proteins, including cell wall-degrading enzymes and membrane transporters, that are essential for Penicillium digitatum to successfully infect citrus.
Biological control agents suppress green mold through at least seven distinct mechanisms, including volatile organic compound production, iron sequestration, biofilm formation, and direct induction of host phytohormone defenses.
Synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) assembled from citrus-associated microbiomes represent an emerging next-generation strategy designed to improve efficacy, stability, and ecological resilience over single-agent biocontrols.
