USE OF UV-C AND HEAT TREATMENT TO REDUCE STORAGE ROT OF STRAWBERRY

Two physical techniques, heat and ultraviolet treatment, were used to reduce the development of Botrytis cinerea, the main spoilage organism on strawberry.
The temperature ranged from 40 to 48°C for 3 to 15 minutes and the UV-C (λ=254 nm) dose varied from 0.01 to 1.50 J/cm². The effect of both methods was examined on fruit inoculated with conidiospores from B. cinerea. Statistical analysis of the results was done using regression techniques and survival analysis.
Fungal growth was reduced significantly by exposing the strawberries to UV-C with a dose > 0.01 J/cm². Temperature treatment did not affect the development of the fungi, and the highest temperature even caused damage to the berry surface and reduced fruit firmness.
The use of ultraviolet doses greater than 1.0 J/cm² had a negative effect on the colour of the leaves, but no damage was noticeable on the fruit surface, even when high doses up to 6 J/cm² were applied.

IV International Strawberry Symposium

D. Marquenie, A. Schenk, B. Nicolaï, C. Michiels, C. Soontjens, J. Van Impe

Botrytis cinerea, postharvest, conidiospore

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.567.172