Transforming Post-harvest Viral Disease Management: A Twenty-First-Century Perspective on Fruit Crops
摘要
Post-harvest handling often includes primary processing for all commodities from harvest until they can be consumed “fresh” or in preparation for further processing. This primary processing usually does not change the appearance and some marketing criteria like nutritional values. Fruits usually have high water content, which accelerates the respiration and transpiration process and favors disease development during harvest and consumption periods. Post-harvest diseases are usually caused by microbial pathogens, such as viruses. Viral infections are a significant problem in post-harvest fruit handling, potentially endangering consumers’ health. These diseases, often latent during harvest, can also manifest during storage and distribution, affecting significant losses in product quality and economic losses. This chapter describes mitigating strategies for post-harvest viral infections, emphasizing integrated traditional ways and twenty-first-century innovations, such as remote sensing for early detection and Internet of Things (IoT) for control. Moreover, advances in molecular diagnostics enable the accurate detection of viral pathogens and give new possibilities for breeding fruits that are resistant to biotic agents such as viruses. Furthermore, the chapter explains the comprehensive approach for reducing post-harvest viral diseases. These strategies will play a crucial role in increasing crop value and also resilience in food sustainability.