Microbiome-based control of postharvest mycotoxin-producing fungi in cereals.

Postharvest biocontrol agents in fruits and vegetables: mechanisms, applications, challenges, and future perspectives

Postharvest losses of horticultural produce, primarily due to microbial decay, remain a major challenge to global food security, accounting for 35–50% of production annually. To control this, overuse of synthetic fungicides has led to pathogen resistance, environmental contamination, and health concerns, prompting a shift toward sustainable biocontrol agents (BCAs). This review comprehensively examines the potential of microbial antagonists (yeasts, bacteria, and fungi), plant-based agents (essential oils and extracts), and natural compounds (e.g., chitosan, alginate, organic acids, etc.) for managing postharvest diseases in fruits and vegetables. Key mechanisms of action including competition for nutrients and space, production of antifungal metabolites and enzymes, biofilm formation, induction of host resistance, and volatile organic compounds are discussed in detail. Application strategies (pre- and postharvest), synergistic integrations with physical/chemical treatments, advantages over conventional pesticides, and major challenges (e.g., formulation stability, regulatory hurdles, and commercialization) are critically analyzed. Emerging approaches such as omics technologies, microbial consortia, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology offer promising avenues to enhance BCA efficacy and consistency. This review highlights successful examples and future perspectives of BCAs in postharvest diseases control setup and more importantly their co-applications together with other natural disease control methods and technologies. Finally, it underscores BCAs as viable, eco-friendly alternatives that can extend shelf life, preserve quality, and support sustainable postharvest management.

Towards an Omics-Guided Framework for Microbial Biological Control of Fungal and Oomycete Diseases in Cannabis sativa: Integrating Host and Pathogen Genomics and Microbiomes

The intensification of Cannabis sativa cultivation has increased the need for effective and sustainable plant-health strategies. Pathogen control is particularly challenging because pesticide residues may compromise product safety and quality, while repeated chemical treatments can favour the emergence of fungicide-resistant populations. Microbial biological control agents (BCAs) represent a promising component of integrated disease management, although their discovery and validation remain largely empirical. This narrative review examines the current literature on the biological control of fungal and oomycete diseases of cannabis, with particular emphasis on Fusarium-associated syndromes, Golovinomyces-associated powdery mildew, grey mould caused by Botrytis cinerea and major oomycete root rots. Cannabis-specific research remains limited and heterogeneous regarding reproducible efficacy across host genotypes, pathogens, and environments; mechanisms of protection; and application-oriented assessment of biosafety, crop quality, and formulation performance. To address these gaps, available evidence is organised within a prospective multi-omics-guided framework combining host and pathogen genomic characterisation, microbiome profiling, targeted BCA isolation, strain-level genomic analysis, preliminary safety screening and comparative in planta evaluation. Transcriptomic, metabolomic, and microbiome analyses can complement these stages by identifying molecular and community-level patterns potentially related to direct antagonism, resource competition, host defence priming and microbiome-mediated protection. The relevance of these patterns to disease suppression requires functional validation, while the resulting evidence may inform the design and evaluation of synthetic microbial communities. Integrating omics across these stages could support more traceable and application-relevant BCA development by enabling mechanistic investigation while providing a structured roadmap for advancing biological control strategies against fungal and oomycete pathogens of cannabis.

Direct Antifungal Effects of Actinobacteria as Biocontrol Agents Against Pre- and Postharvest Diseases in Fruits, Vegetables, and Cereals

This review summarizes current knowledge on direct mechanisms of actinobacteria and their metabolites, aiming to support the future application of actinobacteria and their metabolites as part of biological plant disease management strategies.

Mycotoxins in Monogastric Animal Nutrition: A Review of the Threats and Mitigation Strategies

Mycotoxins are low-molecular-weight secondary metabolites produced by various fungal species that threaten the health and productivity of monogastric and companion animals. Major mycotoxins, including aflatoxins, deoxynivalenol, fumonisins, ochratoxin A, trichothecenes, and zearalenone, contaminate raw ingredients and finished feeds globally. Even at low concentrations, mycotoxins can cause mycotoxicosis, while higher concentrations induce acute toxicity, organ damage, immunosuppression, reduced performance, and mortality, resulting in significant economic losses. More crucially, climate change is shifting the impact on the occurrence and geographical distribution of mycotoxins, as rising temperatures and humidity keep promoting fungal growth and toxin production in feed and food systems. This rising contamination contributes significantly to global economic losses by reducing animal performance, compromising feed quality, and increasing mitigation costs. Therefore, preventing mycotoxin contamination requires comprehensivestrategies, including good agricultural practices, timely and controlled harvesting, and proper storage conditions to minimize fungal growth. Additionally, advancements in biotechnological applications, such as the development of mycotoxin-degrading enzymes, genetically engineered microorganisms capable of detoxifying mycotoxins, and the use of toxin binders, provide innovative tools to mitigate mycotoxin contamination. Such proactive measures are essential for safeguarding animal health, ensuring productivity, and reducing economic losses associated with mycotoxin exposure. This current review examines the effects of mycotoxins on monogastric and companion animals and highlights emerging threats alongside modern preventive strategies. 

Microbiome based regulation of plant insect interactions

Biocontrol of plant diseases from a holobiont perspective: microbiome-mediated mechanisms and applications