Contribution of ultrasound and slightly acid electrolytic water combination on inactivating Rhizopus stolonifer in sweet potato

•Ultrasound (US) and slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) were combined.•US + SAEW treatment inhibited mycelial growth and spore germination of R. stolonifer.•US + SAEW treatment disrupted the cell membranes and caused the leakage of cytoplasm.•US500 + SAEW50 at 40 and 55 °C increased cell membrane permeability and decreased MMP.•US500 + SAEW50 at 40 °C and US300 + SAEW50 at 55 °C controlled soft rot decay in TRs. Effects of ultrasound (US, 300, 400, and 500 W) and slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW, 10, 30, and 50 mg/L) combination on inactivating Rhizopus stolonifer in sweet potato tuberous roots (TRs) were investigated. US at 300, 400, and 500 W simultaneous SAEW with available chlorine concentration of 50 mg/L at 40 and 55 °C for 10 min significantly inhibited colony diameters (from 90.00 to 6.00–71.62 mm) and spores germination (p