Alternative disease control agents induce resistance to blue mold in harvested 'red delicious' apple fruit

ABSTRACT Alternative control agents, including UV-type C (254 nm) irradiation, yeasts antagonistic to fungal growth, chitosan and harpin, were evaluated for their ability to induce resistance in cv. Red Delicious apple fruit against postharvest blue mold caused by Penicillium expansum. Freshly harvested and controlled atmosphere (CA)-stored fruit were treated with these agents at different doses and concentrations or with paired combinations of the agents. Treated fruit were inoculated with P. expansum 24, 48, or 96 h following treatment, and stored at 24 degrees C in the dark. The fruit were evaluated for development of disease every 2 days for 14 days by measuring the diameter of lesions that formed. The area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was calculated and analyzed statistically. All treatments were effective in reducing the AUDPC; UV-C was most effective, followed by harpin, chitosan, and the yeasts, respectively. Regardless of treatment, fresh fruit were more responsive to treatments than CA-stored fruit. There was a clear time-dependent response of the fruit to the treatments, in which treatments applied 96 h before inoculation provided the best results. In a few situations, the combinations of agents did provide an additive effect, but no synergistic effects were detected. Moreover, disease severity in fruit treated by any combination was markedly better than that in the controls. Although the combinations of treatments was overall less effective than the single treatments, they did provide significant reductions of the progress of disease in comparison with the controls. Because the fungus did not come into contact with any of the control agents, this study showed conclusively that the agents studied were able to induce resistance in the fruit rather than merely inhibit the pathogen directly. It also showed, for the first time, that harpin is able to induce resistance in harvested apple fruit. The use of these control agents may minimize the costs of control strategies and reduce the risks associated with the excessive use of fungicides in harvested apple fruit.     

Improving control of crown rot disease and quality of pesticide-free banana fruit by combining Bacillus amyloliquefaciens DGA14 and hot water treatment

The present study aimed at improving the control of crown rot disease and quality of pesticide-free banana banana fruit by integrated approach combining Bacillus amyloliquefaciens DGA14 and hot water treatment (HWT). The efficacy of treatment combination was tested on cultures of crown rot-causing pathogens, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Thielaviopsis paradoxa, Colletotrichum musae and Fusarium verticillioides, and postharvest application. Combination of DGA14 and HWT inhibited mycelium growth by 82.61 % as compared to 66.68 % by DGA14 and 37.90 % by HWT, as single treatments. Spore germination was totally inhibited in DGA14 with or without HWT. Postharvest application with DGA14 + HWT gave 90 % control of fruit decay comparable to 93 % of synthetic fungicide. Fruit treated alone with hot water or in combination with DGA14 incurred the lowest loss in weight. The over-all quality of fruit with DGA14 + HWT was better appearance and firmer texture which was statistically comparable with fungicide-treated banana. DGA14 + HWT was more consistent in crown rot control i.e., limited variation in severity of disease within a treatment as compared to DGA14 and HWT, as stand-alone treatments.     

Secondary inoculum dynamics of Monilinia spp. and relationship to the incidence of postharvest brown rot in peaches and the weather conditions during the growing season

Eight field surveys over three growing seasons (April to October in 2006, 2007, and 2008) were done in three commercial peach and nectarine orchards in order to determine the secondary inoculum dynamics of Monilinia spp. and relationship to the weather conditions and incidence of postharvest brown rot in the Ebro Valley, which is the main peach fruit growing region in Spain. After regression analysis of the epidemiological data of postharvest brown rot and the climatic variables, a disease outbreak can be predicted from (i) the times of the first appearance of airborne conidia, the first appearance of conidia on the surface of flowers and fruits, and the first latent infection, all of which occur 2?months before harvest (ii) the number of conidia on the fruit surface, 2?weeks and 1?week before harvest, (iii) the preharvest incidence of brown rot, and (iv) the mean environmental temperature from popcorn to harvest. From these results, we confirmed the importance of the secondary inoculum dynamics of Monilinia spp. and the utility of these dynamics to predict an outbreak of brown rot in peaches on the day of their harvest and after their harvesting.     

Cold plasma: a potential new method to manage postharvest diseases caused by fungal plant pathogens

Development of alternative, chemical‐free approaches for control of postharvest fungi on a commercial scale has become a challenge for plant pathologists in recent years. Although there are several established techniques such as heat that are used as postharvest treatments, they often have disadvantages, including alteration of food quality due to physiological responses to the treatment, or environmental pollution. A promising new postharvest treatment is cold plasma, which is a gas‐derived mix of atoms, excited molecules and charged particles. Cold plasma has no known adverse effects on fresh produce or the environment. It is an established technology in the medical field and has been demonstrated to successfully control bacterial pathogens that cause food safety issues. This review focuses on the potential of cold plasma technology for postharvest disease control, especially those caused by fungi. An overview of plasma generation systems is provided, and in vivo and in vitro research is reviewed to consider benefits, limitations and research gaps in the context of cold plasma as a potential method for controlling postharvest fungal pathogens. Finally, recommendations are provided for the application of this technology in commercial facilities.     

超敏蛋白对烟草黄瓜花叶病毒的诱导抗性及生长、品质的影响

为明确超敏蛋白对烟草黄瓜花叶病毒(Cucumber mosaic virus,CMV)的诱导抗性及其生长、品质的影响,采用半叶枯斑法和田间试验研究了10%超敏蛋白对枯斑三生烟和普通烟的诱导抗性及促生作用,并分析了对烤烟经济性状和内在质量的影响。结果表明,10%超敏蛋白在活体外对CMV无钝化作用,但预防、治疗效果显著,接种前48 h喷施预防效果达75.70%,接种后24 h喷施治疗效果达65.45%,均显著高于对照;10%超敏蛋白处理后烟草的株高、茎围、最大叶面积均高于其它处理,单位产量比20%吗啉胍·乙铜可湿性粉剂处理增产211.8 kg/hm2,增值3 519.2元/hm2;经10%超敏蛋白处理后的烤烟化学成分均处于优质烟的适宜质量分数范围内。表明超敏蛋白不仅有利于提高烟草抗性和促进烟株生长,且可以明显提高烟叶经济效益和烟叶内在质量。     

Incidence and etiology of postharvest fungal diseases of loquat fruit (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Eriobotrya japonica</Emphasis> (Thunb.) Lindl. cv. ‘Algerie’) in Alacant province (Spain)

‘Algerie’ is currently the most important loquat cultivar in Spain. The incidence and etiology of postharvest diseases affecting this cultivar were determined under local conditions. Latent and wound pathogens were evaluated for two consecutive seasons on commercially grown loquats from two orchards. Healthy loquats were either surface-disinfected or artificially wounded in the rind and placed in humid chambers at 20 °C for up to 5 weeks. Additionally, decay was assessed on commercially-handled loquats stored at 5 °C for up to 20 weeks. The most frequent disease was caused by Alternaria alternata, followed by Penicillium expansum. These two pathogens were present on fruit assessed for all types of infection. Moreover, decay caused by Botrytis cinerea was abundantly observed on both wounded and cold-stored fruit, while Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was frequently found on surface-disinfected fruit. Other pathogens that were observed causing latent infection to a lesser extent included Pestalotiopsis clavispora and Diplodia seriata. Common isolates were identified by macroscopic and microscopic morphology and/or DNA amplification and sequencing. Pathogenicity of selected isolates was demonstrated by fulfilling Koch’s postulates and disease development was assessed on artificially inoculated loquats stored at either 20 or 5 °C.     

Occurrence of Monilinia laxa and M. fructigena after introduction of M. fructicola in peach orchards in Spain

Seventeen field surveys were done in four commercial orchards during six consecutive fruit-growing seasons from 2006 until 2011 in order to determine the current frequencies of occurrence of M. laxa, M. fructigena, and M. fructicola and their relative contributions to postharvest brown rot in peaches and nectarines in the Ebro Valley. The relative frequencies of occurrence of Monilinia spp. were determined on three sources of primary inoculum and on three sources of secondary inoculum. The major relative frequencies of Monilinia spp. were significantly recorded (P?=?0.05) from mummified fruit on the trees (approx. 42 %) and 7-day-old harvested fruit with brown rot (32 %), followed by that recovered from mummified fruit on the orchard bed (14 %), pruned branches on the orchard bed (8 %) and latent infections of immature fruit (3 %). We found that: (a) the relative frequency of M. fructicola has increased over the years to coexist on the same level as at the time M. laxa, (b) M. fructigena is no longer a cause of brown rot in harvested peaches, (c), a progressive reduction in the time of the first appearance of Monilinia airborne conidia (r?=??0.30, P?=?0.003), and the time of the first latent infection (r?=??0.44, P?=?0.0001) was detected along years after correlation analysis, and (d) these displacements are not associated with an increased incidence of brown rot disease. The M. fructicola increase was due to its significantly increased presence in 7-day-old harvested fruit with brown rot (r?=?0.73, P?=?0.0009), in latent infections of immature fruit (r?=?0.68, P?=?0.002), on pruned branches on the orchard bed (r?=?0.56, P?=?0.018), and on mummified fruit sampled on the trees (r?=?0.53, P?=?0.03). This progressive increase was accompanied by a progressive reduction in the relative frequency of occurrence of M. laxa in 7-day-old harvested fruit with brown rot (r?=??0.55, P?=?0.021) and M. fructigena on mummified fruit sampled on the trees (r?=??0.51, P?=?0.03).     

Effects of fruit maturity and wetness on the infection of apple fruit by Neonectria galligena

Neonectria galligena can cause European canker of apple as well as fruit rot. Healthy unwounded fruits on potted trees of cvs Cox, Bramley and Gala were inoculated with conidia of N. galligena to investigate the effects of wetness duration and fruit maturity on rot development. Overall, the incidence of fruit rot was influenced more by fruit maturity at the time of inoculation than by duration of wetness (6–48 h). Young fruit were most susceptible to infection, with 50% of fruit infected when inoculated up to 4 weeks after full bloom. The susceptibility decreased initially until c. 2 months after full bloom and then increased gradually until harvest. Almost all preharvest symptoms (eye rot) developed only on the fruit inoculated up to 4 weeks after full bloom. All other rots were observed after six‐month postharvest storage under controlled atmospheric conditions. However, the relative proportion of preharvest eye rots and postharvest storage rots varied greatly among three years. The effect of wetness duration was only significant for fruit inoculated in their early stages of development but not for those inoculated near harvest. Regression models were developed to describe the observed effects of fruit maturity and wetness on the incidence of total nectria rots.     

Pre-harvest root application of soluble silicon improves postharvest quality and induces antifungal compounds in bitter gourd (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Momordica charantia</Emphasis> L.)

Beneficial effects of Silicon (Si) on disease control have been shown in a number of plant pathosystems. The present study ascertained the effect of root application of soluble Si on postharvest quality of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) with special reference to the disease development by Fusarium oxysporum. Plants were treated with Potassium silicate (Si+) by amending the soil mix (200 mgSi /kg soil). Treatments were started at the four leaf stage and continued up to 28 days at seven days intervals. Soil amendments with Si significantly reduced the postharvest weight loss and extended the shelf life by 2 days through delayed ripening and reduced fungal rot development. Si analysis in bitter gourds, harvested from Si?+?plants revealed that fruit tissues accumulated nearly1.5 times as much silicon (0.54% dry weight) as those grown in control (Si-) mix (0.36% dry weight). Extracts from Si?+?plants exhibited a stronger antifungal activity on thin layer chromatography (TLC) against Cladosporium cladosporioides. Methanolic extracts of fruit pericarp separated on TLC plates showed four antifungal zones at Rf 0.17, 0.51, 0.64 and 0.93. Compound separated at Rf 0.64 was observed in samples from Si?+?and/or challenged with F.oxysporum. Antifungal zone at Rf 0.51 was present only when Si?+?fruits were challenged with the fungus. These results suggest that by using soil application of soluble Si, postharvest quality of bitter gourd can be improved and shelf life can be enhanced by 2 days compared to the control. Enhanced fungitoxic activity may have some role in Si-induced disease resistance againstpostharvest fungal pathogens.     

引起乙烯褪绿蜜橘果实腐烂的主要致病真菌分离及鉴定

为明确贮藏过程中乙烯褪绿蜜橘果实腐烂的主要致病真菌,以重庆市北碚产区无核蜜橘为研究材料,利用乙烯利对其果实进行褪绿处理,观察贮藏期间褪绿蜜橘果实的发病症状,确定病害种类,统计发病率;并从发病果实中分离主要致病真菌,采用形态学特征观察和ITS序列分子生物学分析对其进行鉴定。结果表明,乙烯褪绿加剧贮藏蜜橘果实病害的发生。从发病果实中共分离出5株主要致病真菌菌株,分别编号为A、B、C、D、E;结合形态学特征和5株致病真菌的ITS序列分析结果,A、B菌株均被鉴定为胶孢炭疽菌Colletotrichum gloeosporioides,但这2株菌株具有不同的菌落形态及致病特性;C菌株被鉴定为焦腐病菌Lasiodiplodia theobromae;D菌株被鉴定为交链格孢菌Alternaria alternata;E菌株被鉴定为棘孢曲霉Aspergillus aculeatus。A、B菌株引起的果实腐烂占乙烯褪绿蜜橘总腐烂果实的81.96%,是引起贮藏过程中乙烯褪绿蜜橘果实腐烂的主要致病真菌,其次为C菌株,D、E菌株为次要致病真菌。     

Successful disinfestations of sap-beetle contaminations from organically grown dates using heat treatment: A case study

Palm dates suffer from high infestations of sap-beetle (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) populations. Organically grown dates are particularly subject to high infestations for lack of alternative treatments both during pre- and postharvest, while export requirements of null infestations are in effect. Present methods of postharvest control include treatments using CO₂, which are expensive and require several hours. In this report we describe an effective, short-duration and inexpensive method of postharvest heat-treatment using a postharvest heating container (PHHC). Laboratory experiments determined the optimum temperature regime for maximum escape of beetles from the fruit to be 55°C for 2.5 h; this temperature was attained at a rate of 1.8°C/min. Subsequent successful disinfestation of beetles was obtained in the PHHC after a total exposure time of 2.5 h. Sampling dates before and after treatment and quality control tests on cartons ready for export showed that this method compared in efficiency with CO₂ treatments but was much more economical.     

热处理对2种潜伏炭疽菌生长和致病性的影响

 通过测定热处理对潜伏侵染于芒果果实中的胶胞炭疽菌(Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Penz.)和香蕉果实中的芭蕉炭疽菌[C.musae(Berk.& Curt.)Arx.]离体培养菌的生长、繁殖和致病性的影响,结果表明:当温度达55℃和60℃,时间20 min时,对菌体的生长和孢子萌发可起明显抑制或杀伤作用,并降低其致病性。2种炭疽菌中,芭蕉炭疽菌比胶胞炭疽菌对热更敏感。作者认为,果实采后热处理时,应根据果实种类和不同菌,采用不同的处理温度和时间,才能得到更好的效果。     

Sodium bicarbonate enhances efficacy of Trichoderma harzianum DGA01 in controlling crown rot of banana

The efficacy of Trichoderma harzianum strain DGA01, sodium carbonate (SC), sodium bicarbonate (SBC) and sodium hypochlorite (SH) applied alone or in various combinations was evaluated in vitro against the most important postharvest pathogens of banana such as Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Thielaviopsis paradoxa, Colletotrichum musae, and Fusarium verticillioides. Trichoderma harzianum DGA01 was compatible with salts at a concentration of 1 % (w/v) as manifested by normal mycelial growth. The efficacy of the fungal antagonist in vitro was enhanced by 10.16–13.06 % in controlling mycelial growth of crown rot pathogens with the addition of salts. After a postharvest dip of fruit for 30 min in 10⁶ conidia of DGA01/mL of 1 % SBC, the incidence of crown rot was reduced by 92 %, but DGA01 combined with SC or SH had no additive effect in controlling crown rot. Thus, DGA01 and SBC was the best combination for crown rot control, with an efficacy similar to synthetic fungicides, and maintained the overall quality of banana even at conditions favourable for the pathogens (22–25 °C, 90–95 % relative humidity).     

Applications of ionizing radiation for the control of postharvest diseases in fresh produce: recent advances

Postharvest diseases cause considerable losses to harvested fruits and vegetables worldwide. In addition to various treatments to control postharvest losses caused by pathogens, the global trend is shifting toward more ecofriendly alternatives safer to human health. Thus far, the main approach to postharvest disease control has mostly relied on the use of chemicals. However, the intense use of chemical fungicides has caused side effects such as environmental issues and evolution of fungicide‐resistant isolates. With increasing demand for the use of non‐chemicals, ionizing radiation has been investigated for application in many aspects of postharvest treatment, especially as an approach with significant potential for the control of postharvest disease. Recently, a number of more or less technologically advanced methodologies, e.g. irradiation combined with other types of treatments and induced disease‐resistance, have been developed to control postharvest diseases as well as to increase the quality and storage life of fresh commodities. Challenges for future application of irradiation in fresh produce are the cost, lack of irradiation facilities, lack of knowledge about optimal conditions for different commodities, and lack of acceptance of irradiated fresh produce. This review aims to document the advances in understanding of the effects of irradiation on postharvest disease, the possible modes of action, and the perspectives in commercial use.     

A fungal elicitor enhances the resistance of tomato fruit to Fusarium oxysporum infection by activating the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway

Fungi infection in fruits is an important factor in postharvest losses. The effect of a treatment with a fungal elicitor on the response of tomato fruit to Fusarium oxysporum infection and changes in the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway was studied. Fungal elicitor retarded for 3 days the development of the Fusarium rot development in tomato, at concentration of 2 g?l ^?1 (B2-F treatment). This treatment also induced a 3.11- and 6.03-fold increase of caffeic and chlorogenic acids, respectively, as compared with the control. Furthermore, the flavonoids naringenin-7-O-glucoside, rutin and kaempferol-3-O-glucoside, showed a greater abundance in tomato under the B2-F treatment after 6 days at 20°C. It is concluded that the fungal elicitor reduced the development of Fusarium rot by inducing the biosynthesis of metabolites from the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway which forms part of the defense response in tomato fruit.     

The occurrence of postharvest gray-mold rot of sweet persimmon caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Botrytis cinerea</Emphasis> in Korea

In this study, we identified the causative agent of postharvest gray-mold rot in sweet persimmon fruit that were collected from Gangneung, Gangwon Province, Korea in October 2016. Symptoms included extensive growth of mycelia on post harvested fruit. The fungus was isolated from infected fruit and cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA). For identification of the fungus, we examined morphology characteristics and rDNA sequencing analysis of the fungus and confirmed its pathogenicity according to Koch’s postulates. The results of morphological examinations, pathogenicity tests, 5.8S rDNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1 and ITS4) and the five nuclear protein-coding genes G3PDH, HSP60, RPB2, MS547 and TUB revealed that the causal agent of postharvest gray-mold rot on sweet persimmon fruit in Korea was Botrytis cinerea.     

Combined effect of generally regarded as safe (GRAS) compounds andTrichoderma harzianum on the control of postharvest diseases of rambutan

Botryodiplodia theobromae, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides andGliocephalotrichum microchlamydosporum are the causal fungi of the rambutan postharvest diseases stem-end rot, anthracnose and brown spot, respectively. Two different treatments of rambutan fruits(Nephelium lappaceum) against the three pathogens were compared: potassium metabisulphite (250 ppm) or cinnamaldehyde (30 ppm), each combined withTrichoderma harzianum (TrH 40). The application of TrH 40 and potassium metabisulphite effectively controlled the incidence and severity of the three postharvest diseases and maintained the overall quality and color of the fruit under low temperature storage at 13.5°C and 95% r.h. for 18 days. The greatest effect of this treatment was shown onG. microchlamydosporum. Cinnamaldehyde affected the growth and germination of TrH 40, whereas potassium metabisulphite did not. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Nov. 4, 2001.     

采后菠萝黑腐病的发生及防治

采后菠萝果实在常温下贮藏７～１４ｄ后，常出现黑腐病症状，冬、夏两季病害发展没有显著的差异。采前果实保留冠芽、采后用蜡乳剂、杀菌剂、赤霉素ＧＡ_３处理和１２℃低温贮藏，可以防止黑腐病的发生，减少采后菠萝果实腐烂     

不同栽培方式对辣椒采后病害的影响

 比较了覆膜栽培与露地栽培对辣椒潜伏侵染病原菌种类及其在辣椒果实不同部位的分布,辣椒采后果实发病率,采后病害病原菌种类的影响。试验结果证明:覆膜栽培辣椒采前潜伏侵染带菌率比露地栽培降低了7.7倍;辣椒采前潜伏侵染菌在果柄、果蒂、果肉中均有分布,但以果蒂带菌率最高,发病率也以果蒂最高;辣椒贮前表面消毒可以显著降低辣椒采后病害的发生率;辣椒采后病害的病原菌有5种,即镰刀菌(Fusarium Link et Fr.)、交链孢菌(Alternaria alternata)、盘长孢状刺盘孢菌(Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Penz.)、蔬菜软腐病菌(Erwinia carotovora subsp.carotovora)和黄曲霉菌(Aspergillus flavus Link),其中主要病原菌为镰刀菌(Fusarium Link et Fr.)、盘长孢状刺盘孢菌(C.gloesporioides)和蔬菜软腐病菌(E.carotovora subsp.carotovora)。具有潜伏浸染特性的只有A.alternata、E.c.subsp.carotovora和C.gloeosporioides。     

钙盐协同枯草芽孢杆菌对苹果采后炭疽病的控制

为控制果实采后病害,采用液体共培养、平板菌落计数和活体侵染等方法,研究钙盐和枯草芽孢杆菌对苹果炭疽菌的作用机制和对苹果炭疽病的控制效果.结果显示,钙盐延缓了枯草芽孢杆菌的增殖速率和衰亡期细胞死亡速率,即延长了枯草芽孢杆菌世代周期;钙盐协同枯草芽孢杆菌可抑制苹果炭疽菌菌丝体干重、孢子萌发率和芽管长度,其抑制率分别为54.75%、88.99%和45.88%,抑制效果显著高于钙盐和枯草芽孢杆菌的单独作用,同时推迟了苹果炭疽病的发病时间,抑制了病斑的扩展和分生孢子盘的发育;钙盐协同枯草芽孢杆菌对苹果炭疽病的防治效果为55.53%,明显好于各自的单独作用.