Use of Essential Oils to Control Postharvest Rots on Pome and Stone Fruit

Essential oils show great interest for their potential use to control postharvest pathogens of pome and stone fruit. Most essential oils have been studied for their efficacy in vitro but only few of them have been investigated in vivo. They can be applied by spraying or dipping on the fruit surface or through fumigation. Their efficacy in the control of fungal pathogens is often due to the synergy of different chemical components. To increase their efficacy, essential oils can be employed also together with other control methods, in the framework of integrated disease control strategies. The main objective of the current review is to gather information on the studies accomplished on the use of essential oils to control postharvest diseases of pome and stone fruit, by showing the knowledge on their efficacy, safety, integrated use and some critical points not yet faced.