Antifungal Activity of Trichoderma asperellum ZZY Fermentation Products Against Postharvest Cherry Tomato Pathogens and Their Preservation Effect

Postharvest fungal diseases cause substantial losses in fresh produce, highlighting the need for effective and environmentally compatible alternatives to conventional fungicides. This study investigated the antifungal activity of Trichoderma asperellum ZZY against Botrytis cinerea, Alternaria alternata, and Fusarium oxysporum, as well as its potential for cherry tomato preservation. Confrontation, volatile, and non-volatile assays demonstrated that ZZY inhibits these pathogens through multiple antagonistic mechanisms. The fermentation filtrate exhibited strong antifungal activity, with the highest activity retained in the aqueous fraction after solvent partitioning. Biochemical characterization of the proteinaceous component TAFLP and enzymatic assays indicated chitinolytic activity, while HS-SPME-GC-MS analysis identified diverse volatile compounds that may contribute to antifungal effects. Furthermore, treatment with the fermentation filtrate reduced decay and disease development in cherry tomatoes during storage while helping maintain fruit quality. These findings link the antagonistic activity of Trichoderma asperellum ZZY with its fermentation-derived antifungal components and postharvest preservation effects, supporting further investigation of ZZY-derived products as potential biocontrol agents for postharvest disease management.