Articles
Effects of three potassium salts for the control of Penicillium expansum and Botrytis cinerea on apples
Article number
1269_11
Pages
81 – 88
Language
English
Abstract
The effects of potassium silicate, potassium chloride and potassium hydroxide for the control of postharvest gray and blue molds were tested on ‘Golden Delicious’ apples.
The incidence of gray mold and blue mold was significantly (P≤0.001) reduced by the application of potassium silicate, potassium chloride and potassium hydroxide on wounds of apple fruit.
Fruit treated with potassium silicate at a concentration of 100,000 mg L‑1 had the lowest incidence of gray and blue molds (77.5 and 65%, respectively) when it was applied as a preventative treatment (24 h before inoculation with either Penicillium expansum or Botrytis cinerea). Scanning electron microscopy studies confirmed that potassium silicate applications to apple wounds stopped germination of conidia of both B. cinerea and P. expansum. Curative treatment (inoculated with either P. expansum or B. cinerea 4 h before treatment) of apples with potassium silicate at a concentration of 100,000 mg L‑1 resulted in reduced incidence of gray and blue molds (52.5 and 55%, respectively). Both potassium chloride and potassium hydroxide reduced the incidence of blue mold (77.5 and 70%, respectively) and gray mold (65 and 62.5%, respectively) on ‘Golden Delicious’ apples when applied as a preventative treatment (24 h before inoculation with either P. expansum or B. cinerea).
The incidence of gray mold and blue mold was significantly (P≤0.001) reduced by the application of potassium silicate, potassium chloride and potassium hydroxide on wounds of apple fruit.
Fruit treated with potassium silicate at a concentration of 100,000 mg L‑1 had the lowest incidence of gray and blue molds (77.5 and 65%, respectively) when it was applied as a preventative treatment (24 h before inoculation with either Penicillium expansum or Botrytis cinerea). Scanning electron microscopy studies confirmed that potassium silicate applications to apple wounds stopped germination of conidia of both B. cinerea and P. expansum. Curative treatment (inoculated with either P. expansum or B. cinerea 4 h before treatment) of apples with potassium silicate at a concentration of 100,000 mg L‑1 resulted in reduced incidence of gray and blue molds (52.5 and 55%, respectively). Both potassium chloride and potassium hydroxide reduced the incidence of blue mold (77.5 and 70%, respectively) and gray mold (65 and 62.5%, respectively) on ‘Golden Delicious’ apples when applied as a preventative treatment (24 h before inoculation with either P. expansum or B. cinerea).
Authors
N.C. Mbili, M.D. Laing, K.S. Yobo
Keywords
apples, blue mold, gray mold, postharvest treatment
Groups involved
- Division Temperate Tree Fruits
- Division Vine and Berry Fruits
- Division Tropical and Subtropical Fruit and Nuts
- Division Ornamental Plants
- Division Vegetables, Roots and Tubers
- Commission Banana
- Division Horticulture for Development
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Division Plant Genetic Resources, Breeding and Biotechnology
- Division Plant-Environment Interactions in Field Systems
- Division Postharvest and Quality Assurance
- Division Greenhouse and Indoor Production Horticulture
- Division Landscape and Urban Horticulture
- Division Horticulture for Human Health
- Commission Cultivar Registration
- Division Temperate Tree Nuts
- Commission Agroecology and Organic Farming Systems
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