Lower Temperatures More Effective than Atmosphere Modification in Controlling Botrytis and Nectria Rots in Stored Apples

Abstract

A series of small-scale controlled inoculation experiments has been conducted during 2005-2009 to determine whether temperature and controlled atmosphere (CA) storage conditions affect significantly the incidence of Botrytis cinerea and Neonectria galligena rots of apples and to assess whether CA regimes can be Ôfine-tunedÕ to suppress fungal rotting. The incidence of B. cinerea and N. galligena rots on apple was reduced consistently by storage in lower temperatures (1.5-2°C). In no case was the disease incidence significantly higher than that under air storage conditions. However, the effect of CA conditions on rot development varied greatly from year to year so that overall there were no significant effects of CA conditions on the incidence of rot during storage till the following April. Thus, we can neither fine-tune CA conditions to reduce rot development nor exploit the advantages of lower storage temperatures for Cox and Bramley for this purpose due to inevitable development of low temperature breakdown. Further research is needed to study the effects of ethylene control technologies and modulated storage temperatures on rot development.

Biofumigation by Mustard Plants as an Application for Controlling Postharvest Gray Mold in Apple Fruits

“…Due to its scientific and economic significance, B. cinerea ranks second in the "world top 10 fungal pathogens in molecular plant pathology" [6]. This pathogen can cause rot in apples through two pathways: first, as a wound pathogen via wounds that occur during harvest and, secondly, from infections that arise at the blossom and remain symptomless but subsequently develop in stored apples [7]. This unique infection pattern exacerbates the difficulty of controlling postharvest disease.…”

“…Therefore, the exploration of safer and eco-friendly alternative strategies has become an emerging demand, especially given the increasing regulatory restrictions on the use of chemical fungicides [10]. Some promising measures have been suggested to increase the postharvest life of fruits, such as cold or controlled atmosphere storage [7], ozone [11], heating [12], salts [13], UV-C [14] and other physiological treatments [15]. Resistance inducers [16] and biological control measures [17] have also been studied extensively and recognized as effective strategies to control postharvest diseases.…”