In 2014–2017 an investigation was carried out into the occurrence of fungal storage diseases of five apple varieties (Red Jonaprince, Gala, Golden Delicious, Gloster and Ligol) in the Sandomierz orchard region. The fruit was stored at a CA cold storage room with ULO controlled atmosphere for six months. Occurrence of eight storage diseases was found. The most frequently occurring disease was bull’s eye rot and the losses caused thereby were even 24% of the affected fruit. The cultivars most susceptible to this disease were the Golden Delicious and Ligol apples; the least susceptible were the Gloster ones. The apples were significantly less affected by the fungi that cause brown rot, grey mould rot, blue mould rot and apple scab. Very seldom were the symptoms of calyx end rot, mouldy core and core rot, and anthracnose. Varying severity of infection of the varieties was noted in each season of observation.

S u m m a r yThe macroscopic observations of apples showing symptoms of sooty blotch have indicated considerable differences in spot shape, colour, diameter and margin. The largest spots were observed on Florina apples, while the smallest on the cultivar Boiken. For 5 apple cultivars under investigation 4 types of thallus produced by fungi causing sooty blotch were found. The ramose pattern was observed most often on diseased fruits. The punctate thallus was reported to be less frequent, while the rimate and fuliginous types were the rarest ones. The distribution of mycelial types on lesions was diversified among apple cultuvars under examination.

According to the research carried out in 1998-2000 it was found that small particles of the shoots left in the orchard after pruning are the place of the numerous fungi development. It was observed that the greatest number of species appeared 12 months afier winter pruning. The species colonising fragments of bark and wood included typical patogenic species, pathogens of weakness, and saprotrophs. Some of isolated species may in favourable conditions become the cause of bark and wood diseases as well as apple rot.

The ripening process of two grape varieties in the vineyard located in the Sandomierz region was examined. In 2015, the ‘Regent’ and the ‘Sibera’ varieties reached physiological ripeness on 30th September and 3rd October, respectively. On both harvest dates, in addition to soluble solids content, titratable acidity, and pH, the macronutrient content was also determined. In the phase of physiological ripeness, the ‘Sibera’ variety showed higher acidity (1.02 g · 100 mL−1) compared with the ‘Regent’ (0.87 g · 100 mL−1). A higher soluble solids content was found in the ‘Regent’ (20.4°Brix), and slightly lower in the ‘Sibera’ (18.1°Brix). The must of the ‘Regent’ had a higher pH (3.5). This variety also had higher macronutrient contents (K, Ca and Mg). Grapes harvested after 3 weeks (late harvest) showed higher values of sugars, pH, K, and P for both varieties. However, their titratable acidity content, and Ca and Mg contents decreased. Microscopic examination showed differences in mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerea on grape bunches for both of the varieties left for the late harvest. The mycelial growth promoted faster dehydration of the ‘Sibera’ berries. Spot chemical analyses of ‘Sibera’ berry peel performed using EDS (energy dispersive spectroscopy) showed the occurrence of elevated contents of potassium, phosphorus, sulphur, magnesium and silicon. Around skin cracks, sugar crystals as well as hard-to-identify microcrystals were formed containing potassium. On the surface of the ‘Regent’ berries, potassium, and traces of phosphorus, silicon, magnesium, sulphur and calcium were found.