Articles
ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS TO CONTROL POSTHARVEST DECAY IN LATE SEASON TANGERINES
Article number
1053_30
Pages
273 – 278
Language
English
Abstract
The occurrence of postharvest decay in tangerines in southern Brazil is mostly due to high inoculum pressure in orchards.
Measures used to reduce the after-harvest percentage of rotted fruit include both preharvest and customary postharvest treatments.
Alternative methods to control postharvest diseases are needed to address consumer demands for safe food, especially with regards to pesticide residues.
At the postharvest lab of the Faculdade de Agronomia UFRGS, several trials were conducted with two late season tangerine cultivars (Montenegrina and Hada) in which sodium bicarbonate (2%, v/v), an antagonist (Bacillus subtilis), heat treatments, chloride dioxide, or tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) in combination with and without carnauba wax were tested against a control fungicidal treatment ofimazalil (2 ml L-1). After up to 60 days of storage at 5°C, the tangerines were analyzed for decay incidence and quality parameters.
No negative impact was observed on soluble solids and titratable acidity, as well as epidermal color, after retrieval from cold storage plus 3-5 more days at room temperature.
On Hada tangerines, the tested alternatives to the fungicide treatment resulted in adequate control of decay, which remained below 5%. On Montenegrina fruit, however, decay control using either single or combined treatments were not very effective, except for imazalil, in the reduction of Penicillium spp. incidence after 60 days of cold storage.
Waxing had no effect on the impact of the treatments.
Measures used to reduce the after-harvest percentage of rotted fruit include both preharvest and customary postharvest treatments.
Alternative methods to control postharvest diseases are needed to address consumer demands for safe food, especially with regards to pesticide residues.
At the postharvest lab of the Faculdade de Agronomia UFRGS, several trials were conducted with two late season tangerine cultivars (Montenegrina and Hada) in which sodium bicarbonate (2%, v/v), an antagonist (Bacillus subtilis), heat treatments, chloride dioxide, or tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) in combination with and without carnauba wax were tested against a control fungicidal treatment ofimazalil (2 ml L-1). After up to 60 days of storage at 5°C, the tangerines were analyzed for decay incidence and quality parameters.
No negative impact was observed on soluble solids and titratable acidity, as well as epidermal color, after retrieval from cold storage plus 3-5 more days at room temperature.
On Hada tangerines, the tested alternatives to the fungicide treatment resulted in adequate control of decay, which remained below 5%. On Montenegrina fruit, however, decay control using either single or combined treatments were not very effective, except for imazalil, in the reduction of Penicillium spp. incidence after 60 days of cold storage.
Waxing had no effect on the impact of the treatments.
Authors
F.V. Nascimento, J. Pasini , R.J. Bender
Keywords
Citrus reticulate, antagonist, heat treatment, sodium bicarbonate
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