RESUMO
The postharvest deterioration of cherry tomatoes due to diseases caused by fungi is one of the main causes of the loss of this product. The objective of this study was to determine the antagonistic capacity by evaluating the antifungal power of nine strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in vitro against the phytopathogenic fungi Aspergillus niger, Fusarium sp., and Rhizopus stolonifer isolated from cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) and to measure the biosurfactant production capacity, its antagonism in vivo, and the production of organic acids. The results showed that seven of the nine strains were able to inhibit at least one of the three fungi isolated in the in vitro assay. In eight of nine strains, biosurfactant production was identified, and the strains Weissella confusa and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum A6 showed the highest antifungal activity in vitro and in vivo against the fungi evaluated, with the identification of organic acid production in both strains. LAB demonstrated the ability to inhibit cherry tomato fungi, thus emerging as an alternative to the use of chemical preservatives in the production of this fruit and being projected as a preservation technology for this type of product through the use of strains or their metabolites.
