The use of plant-derived products in postharvest disease management may be a valid alternative to
conventional chemical treatments. In this study, the antifungal activity of crude foliar extracts of a wild
Capsicum annuum accession against Alternaria alternata was assessed. Pepper extracts affected mycelial
growth and suppressed conidia germination in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, they significantly
reduced soft rot disease severity on artificially infected ripe cherry tomatoes. Extracts were characterized
for their total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. UPLCeDAD analysis was also performed to
obtain phenolic profiles of extracts and quantify the individual known components, including gallic acid,
chlorogenic acid, catechin, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid. The putative role of this class of
molecules in conferring antifungal activity to the extracts is discussed. The results indicate that extracts
rich in natural phenolic compounds could be promising for sustainable applications in crop protection