Identification of wild apple germplasm (Malus spp.) accessions with resistance to the postharvest decay pathogens Penicillium expansum and Colletotrichum acutatum

Impact of harvesting time and fruit firmness on the tolerance to fungal storage diseases in an apple germplasm collection

“…Thus, evaluation of the resistance to blue mold in an apple germplasm collection from Kazakhstan, maintained in Geneva, NY, indicated the existence of greater genetic diversity among the Kazak apples than among cultivated apples (Janisiewicz et al, 2008). In another study, resistance to both blue mold and bitter rot was identified in wild apple germplasm from Kazakhstan (Jurick et al, 2011).…”

“…This fungus produces patulin, a carcinogenic mycotoxin which has attracted public concern due to its potential impact on human health (Beretta et al, 2000;Pianzzola et al, 2004;Barreira et al, 2010). Bitter rot, another important storage disease on fruit caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Colletotrichum acutatum, is both a pre-and a postharvest disease, especially under hot and humid conditions, and can result in 50-80% losses in apples harvested from orchards without effective plant protectant spraying (Jones and Aldwinckle, 1990;Jurick et al, 2011). Concerns about postharvest fungal diseases, in particular blue mold and bitter rot, have increased significantly during the last decades, possibly due to a combination of global warming, increased organic production, prohibition of several previously used fungicides and the increasing levels of resistance, e.g., P. expansum toward fungicides (Viñas et al, 1991;Sholberg et al, 2005;Tahir and Jönsson, 2005;Weber, 2009).…”

Alternative management technologies for postharvest disease control: The journey from simplicity to complexity

“…More recently, Janisiewicz et al (2008a) and Jurick et al (2011) have identified resistance to Penicillium expansum and Colletotrichum sp. in a number of accessions of wild apple species, including Malus sieversii.…”

Complete control of Penicillium expansum on apple fruit using a combination of antagonistic yeast Candida oleophila

“…Penicillium expansum Link, the causal agent of blue mold, is one of the most common fungi affecting postharvest apples (Jurick et al, 2011). This phytopathogenic fungus causes fruit losses ranging from 5% to 20% in developed countries (Cappellini and Ceponis, 1984) and up to 50% in developing countries (El-Ghaouth, 1997).…”