Seaweed Extracts to Control Postharvest Phytopathogenic Fungi in Rocha Pear.

Fungal infections cause losses amounting to between 20 and 25% of the fruit industry's total outcome, with an escalating impact on agriculture in the last decades. As seaweeds have long demonstrated relevant antimicrobial properties against a wide variety of microorganisms, extracts from , sp., , and were used to find sustainable, ecofriendly, and safe solutions against Rocha pear postharvest fungal infections. , , , and mycelial growth and spore germination inhibition activities were tested in vitro with five different extracts of each seaweed (-hexane, ethyl acetate, aqueous, ethanolic, and hydroethanolic). An in vivo assay was then performed using the aqueous extracts against and in Rocha pear. The -hexane, ethyl acetate, and ethanolic extracts from showed the best in vitro inhibitory activity against , and and promising in vivo results against using aqueous extract were also found. The present work highlights the contribution of seaweeds to tackle agricultural problems, namely postharvest phytopathogenic fungal diseases, contributing to a greener and more sustainable bioeconomy from the sea to the farm.