An integrated approach was evaluated that combined biological and chemical fumigation of table grapes to control postharvest gray mold caused by
Botrytis cinerea. After fumigation of the grapes with ...ozone or sulfur dioxide during pre-cooling, the fruit were then exposed to continuous biofumigation by the volatile-producing fungus
Muscodor albus during storage. Biofumigation was provided by in-package generators containing a live grain culture of the fungus. This grain formulation of
M. albus survived the initial ozone or sulfur dioxide fumigation, but sulfur dioxide reduced its production of isobutyric acid, an indicator of the production of antifungal volatiles. Gray mold incidence was reduced among inoculated ‘Autumn Seedless’ grapes from 91.7 to 19.3% by 1
h fumigation with 5000
μL
L
−1 ozone, and further reduced to 10.0% when ozone fumigation and
M. albus biofumigation were combined. The natural incidence of gray mold among organically grown ‘Thompson Seedless’ grapes after 1 month of storage at 0.5
°C was 31.0%. Ozone fumigation and
M. albus biofumigation reduced the incidence of gray mold to 9.7 and 4.4, respectively, while the combined treatment reduced gray mold incidence to 3.4%. The use of commercial sulfur dioxide pads reduced the incidence to 1.1%. The combination of ozone and
M. albus controlled decay significantly, but was less effective than the standard sulfur dioxide treatments. Although less effective than sulfur dioxide treatment, ozone and
M. albus controlled decay significantly, and could be alternatives to sulfur dioxide, particularly for growers complying with organic production requirements.
•Lemon green and blue molds were controlled by H2O2 followed by low toxicity salts.•Phomopsis stem-end rot was controlled by sorbate and phosphite salts at 20°C.•Either sorbate or a sequence of H2O2 ...and phosphite were the most promising treatments.•These treatments are proposed to control citrus postharvest pathogens.
The effectiveness of potassium sorbate, sodium bicarbonate and potassium phosphite combined with heat and hydrogen peroxide in the presence of CuSO4 to control major lemon postharvest diseases was investigated on artificially infected fruit. Green and blue molds, which both require wounds for infections to occur, were controlled by combination of hydrogen peroxide followed by inorganic salts, even when the temperature solutions were 25°C. Control of sour rot was poor with salt solutions alone but significantly improved in treatments including hydrogen peroxide followed by potassium sorbate or sodium bicarbonate at 50°C. Phomopsis stem-end rot was effectively controlled by potassium sorbate and potassium phosphite at 20°C, and diplodia stem-end rot was partially controlled only by potassium sorbate. Applications of either potassium sorbate or a sequence of hydrogen peroxide followed by potassium phosphite were the most promising treatments, primarily because they controlled most of the diseases without the need to heat the solutions. These treatments controlled postharvest citrus diseases to useful levels and could be suitable alternative to conventional fungicides, or could be applied with them to improve their performance or to manage fungicide resistant isolates.
The effectiveness of chitosan treatment of table grapes, alone or in combination with ultraviolet-C (UV-C) radiation, to control postharvest gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea, was determined in ...California, United States. The influence of these treatments on catechin and resveratrol contents and chitinase activity in grape berry skins also was assessed. Clusters of cvs. Thompson Seedless, Autumn Black, and Emperor were sprayed in the vineyard with 1% chitosan, then harvested daily for 5 days. Promptly after harvest, they were inoculated with B. cinerea. Decay incidence and disease severity were significantly reduced by chitosan, which was most effective on berries harvested 1 or 2 days after treatment. In another experiment, grape berries were sprayed in the vineyard with chitosan, harvested 2 days later, irradiated for 5 min with UV-C (0.36 J/cm2), and inoculated with B. cinerea 2 days later. Combined chitosan and UV-C treatments applied to cv. Autumn Black or selection B36-55 were synergistic in reducing gray mold incidence and severity compared with either treatment alone. Preharvest chitosan treatment increased neither concentration of catechin or resveratrol nor activity of chitinase in berry skin. Conversely, UV-C irradiation, alone or combined with chitosan treatment, induced catechin in cv. Autumn Black berries and trans-resveratrol in both cv. Autumn Black and selection B36-55.
In vitro, spores of Penicillium digitatum germinated without inhibition between pH 4 and 7, but were inhibited at higher pH. Estimated concentrations of imazalil (IMZ) in potato-dextrose broth-Tris ...that caused 50% reduction in the germination of spores (ED50) of an IMZ-sensitive isolate M6R at pH 4, 5, 6, and 7 were 0.16, 0.11, 0.015, and 0.006 microgram/ml, respectively. ED50 IMZ concentrations of an IMZ-resistant isolate D201 at pH 4, 5, 6, and 7 were 5.9, 1.4, 0.26, and 0.07 microgram/ml, respectively. The natural pH within 2-mm-deep wounds on lemon was 5.6 to 5.1 and decreased with fruit age. IMZ effectiveness to control green mold and its residues increased with pH. The pH in wounds on lemon fruit 24 h after immersion in 1, 2, or 3% NaHCO3 increased from pH 5.3 to 6.0, 6.3, and 6.7, respectively. NaHCO3 dramatically improved IMZ performance. Green mold incidence among lemon fruit inoculated with M6R and treated 24 h later with IMZ at 10 microgram/ml, 1% NaHCO3, or their combination was 92, 55, and 22%, respectively. Green mold among lemon fruit inoculated with D201 and treated 24 h later with water, IMZ at 500 microgram/ml, 3% NaHCO3, or their combination was 96.3, 63.0, 44.4, and 6.5%, respectively. NaHCO3 did not influence IMZ fruit residue levels.
Control of postharvest lemon diseases by biofumigation with the volatile-producing fungus
Muscodor albus was investigated. In vitro exposure to
M. albus volatile compounds for 3 days killed
...Penicillium digitatum and
Geotrichum citri-aurantii, causes of green mold and sour rot of lemons, respectively. Lemons were wound-inoculated with
P. digitatum and placed in closed 11-L plastic boxes with rye grain cultures of
M. albus at ambient temperature. There was no contact between the fungus and the fruit. Biofumigation for 24–72
h controlled green mold significantly, even when treatment began 24
h after inoculation. Effectiveness was related to the amount of
M. albus present. In tests conducted inside a 11.7-m
3 degreening room with 5
ppm ethylene at 20
°C, green mold incidence on lemons was reduced on average from 89.8 to 26.2% after exposure to
M. albus for 48
h. Ethylene accelerates color development in harvested citrus fruit.
M. albus had no effect on color development. Biofumigation in small boxes immediately after inoculation controlled sour rot, but was ineffective if applied 24
h later.
G. citri-aurantii may be less sensitive to the volatile compounds than
P. digitatum or escapes exposure within the fruit rind. Biofumigation with
M. albus could control decay effectively in storage rooms or shipping packages.
Control of citrus blue mold, caused by Penicillium italicum, was evaluated on artificially inoculated oranges immersed in water at up to 75°C for 150 s; in 2 to 4% sodium carbonate (wt/vol) at 20 or ...45°C for 60 or 150 s; or in 1 to 4% sodium bicarbonate at room temperature for 150 s, followed by storage at 20°C for 7 days. Hot water controlled blue mold at 50 to 55°C, temperatures near those that injured fruit, and its effectiveness declined after 14 days of storage. Sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate were superior to hot water. Temperature of sodium carbonate solutions influenced effectiveness more than concentration or immersion period. Sodium carbonate applied for 150 s at 45°C at 3 or 4% reduced decay more than 90%. Sodium bicarbonate applied at room temperature at 2 to 4% reduced blue mold by more than 50%, while 1% was ineffective. In another set of experiments, treatments of sodium bicarbonate at room temperature, sodium carbonate at 45°C, and hot water at 45°C reduced blue mold incidence on artificially inoculated oranges to 6, 14, and 27%, respectively, after 3 weeks of storage at 3°C. These treatments reduced green mold incidence to 6, 1, and 12%, respectively, while incidence among controls of both molds was about 100%. When reexamined 5 weeks later, the effectiveness of all, particularly hot water, declined. In conclusion, efficacy of hot water, sodium carbonate, and sodium bicarbonate treatments against blue mold compared to that against green mold was similar after storage at 20°C but proved inferior during long-term cold storage.
Resistance of mature berries of grapevine cultivars and selections to postharvest infection by Botrytis cinerea was assessed. Little or no resistance existed in most popular table grape Vitis ...vinifera cultivars, except in moderately resistant 'Emperor' and 'Autumn Black'. Highly resistant grapes were V. rotundifolia, V. labrusca, or other complex hybrids. Morphological, anatomical, and chemical characteristics of 42 genetically diverse cultivars and selections with various levels of resistance to B. cinerea were examined to determine which features were associated with resistance. We quantified the (i) density of berries within a cluster; (ii) number of pores and lenticels on the berry surface; (iii) thickness and number of cell layers in the epidermis and external hypodermis; (iv) amount of cuticle and wax; (v) berry skin protein content; (vi) total phenolic content of the skin before and after B. cinerea inoculation; and (vii) catechin and trans- and cis-resveratrol contents of the skin before and after inoculation. The number of pores was negatively correlated with resistance. Highly resistant cultivars had few or no pores in the berry surface. The number and thickness of epidermal and hypodermal cell layers and cuticle and wax contents were positively correlated with resistance. Other characteristics evaluated were not associated with resistance. trans-Resveratrol and cis-resveratrol were induced by B. cinerea inoculation only in sensitive and moderately resistant cultivars and selections.
Potassium sorbate, a program of four fungicides, or one of three chitosan formulations were applied to clusters of 'Thompson Seedless' grape berries at berry set, pre-bunch closure, veraison, and 2 ...or 3 weeks before harvest. After storage at 2°C for 6 weeks, the natural incidence of postharvest gray mold was reduced by potassium sorbate, the fungicide program, or both together in a tank mixture, in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, the experiment was repeated with three chitosan products (OII-YS, Chito Plant, and Armour-Zen) added. Chitosan or fungicide treatments significantly reduced the natural incidence of postharvest gray mold among grape berries. Berries harvested from vines treated by two of the chitosan treatments or the fungicide program had fewer infections after inoculation with Botrytis cinerea conidia. None harmed berry quality and all increased endochitinase activity. Chitosan decreased berry hydrogen peroxide content. One of the chitosan formulations increased quercetin, myricetin, and resveratrol content of the berry skin. In another experiment, 'Princess Seedless' grape treated with one of several fungicides before 4 or 6 weeks of cold storage had less decay than the control. Fenhexamid was markedly superior to the other fungicides for control of both the incidence and spread of gray mold during storage.
Two approaches, fungicide applications to trees before harvest and drenching fruit after harvest, were evaluated to minimize postharvest green mold, caused by Penicillium digitatum, particularly ...among fruit subjected to ethylene gas after harvest, a practice termed "degreening" that eliminates green rind color. Preharvest applications of thiophanate methyl (TM) controlled postharvest green mold consistently. In five tests, green mold among degreened orange fruit was 16% when TM was applied 1 week before harvest; whereas, among fruit not treated, the incidence was 89.5%. Thiabendazole (TBZ) applied to harvested fruit in bins before degreening also was very effective. TBZ effectiveness was enhanced by mild heating (41°C), adding sodium bicarbonate, and immersing fruit, rather than drenching them, with the solution. With these measures, an isolate of P. digitatum with a high level of TBZ resistance was significantly controlled. In semicommercial tests with naturally inoculated fruit, TBZ and sodium bicarbonate treatment reduced green mold incidence from 11% among untreated orange fruit to 2%. TBZ residues in lemon fruit at 41°C were about twice those treated at 24°C. Neither TM before harvest nor TBZ and sodium bicarbonate applied after harvest influenced green color removal during degreening of orange fruit. Sodium bicarbonate slightly reduced the rate of lemon color change.
Potassium phosphite (KP) concentrations that inhibited the germination of 50% of Penicillium digitatum conidia were 229, 334, 360, 469, 498, or 580 mg/liter at pH 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8, respectively. ...Increasing phosphate content in media reduced phosphite toxicity. To control green or blue mold, fruit were inoculated with P. digitatum or P. italicum, then immersed 24 h later in KP, calcium phosphite (CaP), sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, or potassium sorbate for 1 min at 20 g/liter for each at 25 or 50°C. Mold incidence was lowest after potassium sorbate, CaP, or KP treatments at 50°C. CaP was often more effective than KP but left a white residue on fruit. KP was significantly more effective when fruit were stored at 10 or 15°C after treatment compared with 20°C. Acceptable levels of control were achieved only when KP was used in heated solutions or with fungicides. KP was compatible with imazalil (IMZ) and other fungicides and improved their effectiveness. KP increased thiabendazole or IMZ residues slightly. Phosphite residues did not change during storage for 3 weeks, except they declined when KP was applied with IMZ. KP caused no visible injuries or alteration in the rate of color change of citrus fruit in air or ethylene at 5 μl/liter.
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