The litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) fruit are extremely susceptible to postharvest moulds. The main pathogen of litchi fruit was isolated
and identixed as Peronophythora litchi. Of antagonists tested, Bacillus subtilis was the most ewective against Peronophythora litchi.
The relative antifungal activity of Bacillus subtilis reached a maximum after 48 h culture, and then decreased gradually. Purixcation of
the crude extract of Bacillus subtilis followed by a Sepharose Toyopearl HW-50 gel xltration conxrmed that the antifungal compound of
Bacillus subtilis had a molecular weight of about 1.2 kD. Both the antagonist and its extract were ewective in controlling artixcially
wound-inoculated fruit pathogens, but the use of the extract had better ewect than that of the antagonist. Furthermore, application of the
extract of Bacillus subtilis exhibited good control of decay for a storage period of 30 days at 5 3C and quality maintenance of litchi fruit
in terms of eating scores and contents of total soluble solids, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid. No ow-yavor of the treated fruit was
tasted.