Emerging Approaches to Inhibit Botrytis cinerea

Botrytis cinerea is a pathogenic fungus that has tremendous adverse impact on agriculture around the world. With susceptibility from seed to storage, highly adaptive nature under selective pressure, and ability to thrive at lower temperatures, B. cinerea is a formidable challenge. Technological advances in genetics, biochemistry, and biotechnology are providing new and unparalleled possibilities for treatment and management. With the resulting outburst of novel antifungal agents, it is difficult to keep abreast. This review not only catalogs and summarizes recent antifungal discoveries that target B. cinerea, but tries to give the reader a feel for how expansive the new possibilities are. Due to practical limitation, this review focuses on antifungal peptides/proteins and antifungal natural products. A brief perspective on emerging antifungals that hold potential to significantly impact the botryticide landscape is also included.