Molecular aspects in pathogen-fruit interactions: Virulence and resistance

• We review the molecular characterization of fungal postharvest virulence factors.
• Future research lines in fruit-pathogen interaction studies have been identified.
• Implementation of omics technologies will make an impact on fruit-pathogen studies.

Fruit losses during postharvest storage and handling due to pathogen infections are one of the major problems in the global food chain supply. The application of chemical fungicides to control diseases is currently limited by legislation in some countries and also raises concerns about food and environmental safety. Exploring molecular aspects of pathogen-fruit interactions therefore has biological and economic significance as a means to help develop rational alternatives for disease control. In this review we present the current knowledge of molecular aspects in pathogen-fruit interactions, addressing the following topics: the application of new “omics” technologies for studying these interactions; the molecular mechanisms of fungal pathogen attack; the regulation of virulence by exogenous factors; and, finally, fruit defense mechanisms.