Articles
Comparative efficacy of dynamic controlled atmosphere against five postharvest pathogens of pome fruit
Article number
1451_1
Pages
1 – 4
Language
English
Abstract
The semi-arid climate of central Washington State is suitable for cultivating organic fruit while minimizing biotic stresses.
However, storing organic fruit for more than five months presents a significant challenge due to postharvest diseases, which can result in up to 50% losses of organic pome fruit.
Currently, there are no effective bio-fungicides available for postharvest use and packers have been relying on organic fungicides applied preharvest and on postharvest sanitation.
Organic packers, particularly in the US. Pacific Northwest (PNW), have increasingly turned to dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA) to minimize physiological disorders and extend the shelf life of organic fruit.
However, it remains unknown whether postharvest fungal pathogens that cause postharvest diseases can grow and remain virulent under ultra-low O2 and/or high CO2 concentrations.
In this study, we report on the efficacy of DCA (0.8 to 0.4% O2), static CA, and regular atmosphere (RA) in reducing the incidence and severity of postharvest diseases caused by Penicillium expansum, Botrytis cinerea, Neofabraea perennans, Mucor piriformis, and Phacidiopycnis washingtonensis. ‘Fuji’ apples were wounded and inoculated with spore suspensions of each pathogen at a concentration of 105 spores mL‑1. Additionally, we assessed the efficacy of DCA, ULO, and RA on non-wounded inoculated and non-inoculated organic apples.
Our results indicate that there is variability among the five different pathogens in terms of their ability to cause fruit decay during storage.
Overall, we observed reductions of 5 to 50% in disease incidence under ULO conditions whereas disease incidence increased under DCA conditions.
However, storing organic fruit for more than five months presents a significant challenge due to postharvest diseases, which can result in up to 50% losses of organic pome fruit.
Currently, there are no effective bio-fungicides available for postharvest use and packers have been relying on organic fungicides applied preharvest and on postharvest sanitation.
Organic packers, particularly in the US. Pacific Northwest (PNW), have increasingly turned to dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA) to minimize physiological disorders and extend the shelf life of organic fruit.
However, it remains unknown whether postharvest fungal pathogens that cause postharvest diseases can grow and remain virulent under ultra-low O2 and/or high CO2 concentrations.
In this study, we report on the efficacy of DCA (0.8 to 0.4% O2), static CA, and regular atmosphere (RA) in reducing the incidence and severity of postharvest diseases caused by Penicillium expansum, Botrytis cinerea, Neofabraea perennans, Mucor piriformis, and Phacidiopycnis washingtonensis. ‘Fuji’ apples were wounded and inoculated with spore suspensions of each pathogen at a concentration of 105 spores mL‑1. Additionally, we assessed the efficacy of DCA, ULO, and RA on non-wounded inoculated and non-inoculated organic apples.
Our results indicate that there is variability among the five different pathogens in terms of their ability to cause fruit decay during storage.
Overall, we observed reductions of 5 to 50% in disease incidence under ULO conditions whereas disease incidence increased under DCA conditions.
Authors
A. Amiri, C. Haskell
Keywords
controlled atmosphere, apple, postharvest, diseases, organic
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