Enhancing the biocontrol ability of Bacillus against spoilage fungus with screened booster for postharvest fruit preservation

A broad spectrum of studies is undertaken in postharvest fruit preservation. This particular research was focused on the combined application of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (B. amyloliquefaciens) and eugenol solution to inhibit the growth of Penicillium expansum (P. expansum) mycelia. The research encompassed tests on P. expansum spore germination rate, membrane permeability of P. expansum mycelia cells, decay rate determination of grapes and blueberries, measurement of total soluble solids (TSS), and evaluation of Glutathione Peroxidase (GSH-Px) enzyme activity. The findings revealed that the eugenol solution exhibited superior performance in inducing nucleic acid and protein leakage. Consequently, the research opted for the eugenol solution as a synergistic agent with B. amyloliquefaciens for postharvest fruit preservation. Grapes displayed more pronounced inhibition effects compared to blueberries. Subsequent investigations demonstrated that the combined approach of eugenol solution and B. amyloliquefaciens exhibited greater inhibitory effects than individual applications or the control group. Consequently, postharvest fruits can be effectively preserved, and the mycelial growth of pathogenic fungi can be restrained by using B. amyloliquefaciens and eugenol solution as a viable biocontrol technique. Moreover, several considerations must be addressed before adopting this method as an established biocontrol strategy. These considerations encompass the stability and availability of eugenol solution at elevated temperatures, enhanced inhibition against other types of pathogenic fungi, and identification of optimal storage conditions for biocontrol. However, to validate the safety of the approach, further studies are necessary to investigate any adverse effects associated with using boosters and B. amyloliquefaciens.