Yeasts isolated from figs (Ficus carica L.) as biocontrol agents of postharvest fruit diseases

• The 34.5% of isolated yeasts showed antagonistic activity against pathogenic moulds.
• H. opuntiae L479 and M. pulcherrima L672 were selected based on in vitro tests.
• Selected yeasts were effective at controlling mould growth on apples and nectarines.
• First report of the potential use of H. opuntiae for the biocontrol of different postharvest pathogens.

Fresh fruit is highly perishable during postharvest life, mainly due to fungal growth. Thus, fungal control is an important goal for the fruit industry. In this work, a selection of antagonistic yeasts isolated from fig and breba crops were screened in vitro. The isolated yeasts were challenged with three moulds isolated from decayed figs and breba crops, identified as Penicillium expansum M639 and Cladosporium cladosporioides M310 and M624, and pathogenic moulds Botrytis cinerea CECT20518 and Monilia laxa CA1 from culture collections. Two yeast isolates, Hanseniaspora opuntiae L479 and Metschnikowia pulcherrima L672, were selected for their ability to inhibit the growth of aforementioned moulds. These yeasts reduced the radial growth of moulds on PDA by between 45.23% and 66.09%. Antagonistic activity was associated with the interaction of live yeast cells with moulds. M. pulcherrima L672 apparently parasitised C. cladosporioides isolates. In addition, challenges were assayed using wounded apples and nectarines, with significant reductions in percent infection and lesion size for all moulds tested. To our knowledge, this is the first report identifying H. opuntiae as an antagonist against different pathogenic moulds.