Hai-Rui Wang,Xiong Xiong,Wen-Chao Li,Shuang-Jiao Ma,Yan-Xue Liu,Tong Liu,Ke-Xiang Gao,Chuan-Rong Li,Hui-Xiang Liu ,Ye-Han Tian

Postharvest fruit rot causes substantial economic and nutritional losses worldwide. In this study, we identified Trichoderma hamatum Ta8426 as a postharvest pathogen isolated from sweet potato that infects a broad range of fruits and tubers, including apples, pears, and yams. Pathogenicity assays showed that Ta8426 infection markedly reduced apple quality, as evidenced by decreases in soluble solids, total sugars, and antioxidant compounds. Integrated genomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed that the Ta8426 genome is enriched in carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) gene families—including polygalacturonases and β-glucosidases—and that key genes involved in pectin and cellulose degradation are strongly upregulated during infection. These findings provide the first comprehensive characterization of the pathogenic mechanisms of T. hamatum, highlighting its capacity to disrupt fruit cell wall integrity and alter nutritional homeostasis. This work advances understanding of the ecological roles of Trichoderma species and underscores the threat posed by T. hamatum to postharvest food security.

Paper Linkage:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114471