Dr. S. Droby - Dept. Postharvest Science, ARO, the Volcani Center, P.O.Box 6 Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
Dr. M. Wisniewski U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Servide (USDA-ARS) Appalachian Fruit Research Station 2217 Wiltshire Road Kearneysville, WV 25430, USA.
Dr. N. Benkeblia Department of Life Sciences, UWI, Mona Campus, Kingston 7, JAMAICA.

This chapter discusses the major causes of losses in tropical and subtropical fruits after harvest due mainly to fungal to pathogens. In the first part, the etiology, biology and environmental and horticultural factors that are generally involved in infection and development of decay are reviewed. In this relation, understanding the relationship between production conditions and postharvest handling chain is crucial for improving fruit quality. Details on the host-pathogen interactions of major pathogens of tropical and subtropical fruits as well as their modes of infection are also provided. Special emphasis is given to Colletotrichum as it is considered as a pathogen with the widest host range that causes extensive postharvest looses in most of fruits. Then, information about natural (constitutive and induced) fruit defense mechanisms in major tropical and subtropical fruits are described. The chapter also addresses the current control strategies that are based mainly on the use of fungicides and also safer alternatives that include the use of GRAS compounds, physical, biological and the potential of their use in an integrated control program. In this regard, the need to reduce the use of chemical residues in fruit marketed locally or exported to other countries has been major issue that still a challenge in many countries in which the major production of tropical and subtropical fruit is taking place.