Abstract:

Latent infection is an important factor for causing postharvest diseases because of diverse pathogen infection
pathways and unpredictable infection periods so that its occurrence cannot be controlled completely by postharvest handling.
Its appressorium and secreting virulence factors, such as extracellular enzymes, reactive oxygen species (ROS), pH and
toxins are important for penetrating host cells, while host tissue senescence also can accelerate secondary hyphae formation
in host cells and occurrence of host diseases. The invasive pathogens and long-term potential of the host cells are reviewed
clearly in this paper, and the targets for preventing the occurrence of postharvest diseases have theoretical significance to
discover new ways of latent infection and improve the efficiency of postharvest disease prevention.

Key words: latent infection, postharvest diseases, appressorium, pathogenesis