Evaluating Debaryomyces hansenii in combination with chitosan or salicylic acid for the control of Botrytis cinerea in blueberry

Global consumption of blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) has increased during the last twenty years due to increased recognition of their health benefits. However, postharvest losses of blueberry due to pathogenic fungi are significant. The traditional control methods involving continuous application of synthetic fungicides pose diverse risks, both to health and to the environment. Therefore, environmentally friendly control methods are sought. Therefore, the use of a combined treatment of Debaryomyces hansenii with chitosan (CH) and with salicylic acid (SA) was proposed to inhibit the growth of Botrytis cinerea in blueberries during postharvest storage. The in vitro results showed great potential as the percentage of mycelial inhibition was significantly different to that of the control, with values of 75 and 87% for D. hansenii-chitosan and D. hansenii-salicylic acid, respectively. The incidence of the disease caused by B. cinerea on fruits decreased significantly when applying D. hansenii-chitosan and D. hansenii-salicylic acid with a mean reduction of 46.67 and 37.77%, respectively. The microscopy analysis showed damaged B. cinerea hyphae due to the effects of the treatments. The combination of D. hansenii with chitosan and salicylic acid can mitigate the development of gray mold in postharvest blueberries.