Phenylalanine: A Promising Inducer of Fruit Resistance to Postharvest Pathogens.

ABSTRACT: More than 40% of harvested fruit is lost, largely due to decay. In parallel, restrictions on postharvest fungicides call for eco-friendly alternatives. Fruit's natural resistance depends mainly on flavonoids and anthocyanins-which have antioxidant and antifungal activity-synthesized from the phenylpropanoid pathway with phenylalanine as a precursor. We hypothesized that phenylalanine could induce fruit's natural defense response and tolerance to fungal pathogens. The postharvest application of phenylalanine to mango and avocado fruit reduced anthracnose and stem-end rot caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Lasiodiplodia theobromae, respectively. The postharvest application of phenylalanine to citrus fruit reduced green mold caused by Penicillium digitatum. The optimal phenylalanine

SUBMITTER: Kumar Patel M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7278716 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature