Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Fungicide Resistance in Citrus Postharvest Green Mold

Abstract

The necrotrophic fungus Penicillium digitatum (Pd) is responsible for the green mold disease that occurs during postharvest of citrus and causes enormous economic losses around the world. Fungicides remain the main method used to control postharvest green mold in citrus fruit storage despite numerous occurrences of resistance to them. Hence, it is necessary to find new and more effective strategies to control this type of disease. This involves delving into the molecular mechanisms underlying the appearance of resistance to fungicides during the plant–pathogen interaction. Although mechanisms involved in resistance to fungicides have been studied for many years, there have now been great advances in the molecular aspects that drive fungicide resistance, which facilitates the design of new means to control green mold. A wide review allows the mechanisms underlying fungicide resistance in Pd to be unveiled, taking into account not only the chemical nature of the compounds and their target of action but also the general mechanism that could contribute to resistance to others compounds to generate what we call multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotypes. In this context, fungal transporters seem to play a relevant role, and their mode of action may be controlled along with other processes of interest, such as oxidative stress and fungal pathogenicity. Thus, the mechanisms for acquisition of resistance to fungicides seem to be part of a complex framework involving aspects of response to stress and processes of fungal virulence.