Articles
Preliminary epidemiological features of kiwifruit skin pitting agent: Cadophora luteo-olivacea (J.F.H. Beyma) T.C. Harr. & McNew)
Article number
1363_4
Pages
25 – 30
Language
English
Abstract
During the last 20 years, skin pitting symptoms, caused by Cadophora luteo-olivacea, were detected in packaging houses.
Hence, there is a need to investigate the pathogenicity of this fungus, which is able to afflict kiwifruits during the postharvest phase.
The study was conducted by linking different experiments conducted in vitro, in vivo, and in kiwifruit orchards.
By in vitro assays, the influence of temperature and kiwifruit ripeness was evaluated on the pathogen growth.
In vivo assays were conducted by artificially spraying the pathogen inoculum on kiwifruit and storing for 5 months at 0°C. Fruit were bagged in the field, from July to October, and stored 5 months at 0°C in normal refrigeration.
After a shelf-life period (7 days at 20°C), the fruit phenological phase wherein the pathogen began its latency was verified.
Results showed a higher ability of the pathogen to grow at 20°C with enhanced aggressiveness in under-ripe kiwifruits.
Field experiment results indicated that kiwifruit bagged in July were less susceptible to skin pitting symptoms after storage.
Finally, from these results, we can assert that field and storage management strategies should be strictly connected to control C. luteo-olivacea development.
Hence, there is a need to investigate the pathogenicity of this fungus, which is able to afflict kiwifruits during the postharvest phase.
The study was conducted by linking different experiments conducted in vitro, in vivo, and in kiwifruit orchards.
By in vitro assays, the influence of temperature and kiwifruit ripeness was evaluated on the pathogen growth.
In vivo assays were conducted by artificially spraying the pathogen inoculum on kiwifruit and storing for 5 months at 0°C. Fruit were bagged in the field, from July to October, and stored 5 months at 0°C in normal refrigeration.
After a shelf-life period (7 days at 20°C), the fruit phenological phase wherein the pathogen began its latency was verified.
Results showed a higher ability of the pathogen to grow at 20°C with enhanced aggressiveness in under-ripe kiwifruits.
Field experiment results indicated that kiwifruit bagged in July were less susceptible to skin pitting symptoms after storage.
Finally, from these results, we can assert that field and storage management strategies should be strictly connected to control C. luteo-olivacea development.
Authors
A. Di Francesco, F. Neri, E. Baraldi, U. Palara, P. Bertolini
Keywords
pathogenicity, fruit, latency, storage, fungi
Online Articles (40)