Hannaella sinensis, a promising biocontrol agent for combating postharvest pear fruit diseases and patulin degradation

Postharvest pear fruits are susceptible to fungal decay and patulin (PAT) contamination during storage and transportation. PAT is a harmful mycotoxin contaminant of fruits and fruit products. Our team has identified a strain of Hannaella sinensis through preliminary research and validated its ability to degrade PAT in vitro. However, whether H. sinensis can effectively combat postharvest diseases of pears and control PAT within the fruit was yet unknown. Therefore, our current work aimed to determine the ability of H. sinensis to control blue mold decay and PAT contamination in postharvest pear fruit. The results showed that H. sinensis could effectively control postharvest blue mold decay, significantly reducing both the decay rate and lesion diameter in pear fruits and the PAT content in pear wounds. In addition, H. sinensis treatment had no negative impression on pear storage. H. sinensis was shown to have a better ability to adapt to the environment, occupy space, and utilize nutrients than pathogens, which provides favorable conditions for H. sinensis to colonize the wound and surface of pear fruit. The inhibitory effect of H. sinensis on PAT represents a new solution to control PAT contamination in food.