Articles
Diversity of fungi on the epidermis of apples: exploring the microbiome with a cost-efficient user-friendly method
Article number
1451_37
Pages
261 – 267
Language
English
Abstract
This study investigates the fungal communities on the epidermis of apples obtained from German food retailers using a cost-effective and user-friendly method, which is based on cultivating fungal colonies on Sabouraud dextrose agar, followed by a combination of microscopy and DNA extraction with PCR targeted on internal transcribed spacers.
The method was developed and validated to provide a reliable and efficient means of identifying fungal genera and species present on apple surfaces.
Eleven different fungal genera were identified, with Penicillium spp. being the most prevalent.
The study’s findings indicate that certain fungi, such as Trichoderma spp. and Aureobasidium spp., have potential applications in biological control strategies against common postharvest pathogens.
These fungi exhibit antagonistic properties that could reduce the reliance on chemical pesticides, thereby enhancing food safety and sustainability.
This research underscores the importance of robust and accessible methodologies for studying fungal diversity, which can inform the development of sustainable postharvest treatment methods and contribute to improved management of postharvest pathology in apples.
The method was developed and validated to provide a reliable and efficient means of identifying fungal genera and species present on apple surfaces.
Eleven different fungal genera were identified, with Penicillium spp. being the most prevalent.
The study’s findings indicate that certain fungi, such as Trichoderma spp. and Aureobasidium spp., have potential applications in biological control strategies against common postharvest pathogens.
These fungi exhibit antagonistic properties that could reduce the reliance on chemical pesticides, thereby enhancing food safety and sustainability.
This research underscores the importance of robust and accessible methodologies for studying fungal diversity, which can inform the development of sustainable postharvest treatment methods and contribute to improved management of postharvest pathology in apples.
Authors
A. Vettermann, F. Büchele, D.A. Neuwald, M.H. Hagemann
Keywords
Malus domestica Borkh., fungal identification, surface microbiota, affordable microbiome analysis, decay reduction
Online Articles (37)