Unlocking Nature’s Secrets: Molecular Insights into Postharvest Pathogens Impacting Moroccan Apples and Innovations in the Assessment of Storage Conditions
Mohammed Khadiri,
Hassan Boubaker,
Salah-Eddine Laasli,
Abdelaaziz Farhaoui,
Said Ezrari,
Nabil Radouane,
Mohammed Radi,
Latifa Askarne,
Essaid Ait Barka,
Rachid Lahlali
Affiliations
Mohammed Khadiri
Phytopathology Unit, Department of Plant Protection, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, Km10, Rte Haj Kaddour, BP S/40, Meknès 50001, Morocco
Hassan Boubaker
Laboratoire de Biotechnologies Microbiennes et Protection des Végétaux, Faculté des Sciences, Université Ibn Zhor, BP 8106, Agadir 80000, Morocco
Salah-Eddine Laasli
Phytopathology Unit, Department of Plant Protection, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, Km10, Rte Haj Kaddour, BP S/40, Meknès 50001, Morocco
Abdelaaziz Farhaoui
Phytopathology Unit, Department of Plant Protection, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, Km10, Rte Haj Kaddour, BP S/40, Meknès 50001, Morocco
Said Ezrari
Microbiology Unit, Laboratory of Bioresources, Biotechnology, Ethnopharmacology and Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy Oujda, University Mohammed Premier, Oujda 60000, Morocco
Nabil Radouane
African Genome Center, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Ben Guerir 43150, Morocco
Mohammed Radi
Phytopathology Unit, Department of Plant Protection, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, Km10, Rte Haj Kaddour, BP S/40, Meknès 50001, Morocco
Latifa Askarne
Laboratoire de Biotechnologies Microbiennes et Protection des Végétaux, Faculté des Sciences, Université Ibn Zhor, BP 8106, Agadir 80000, Morocco
Essaid Ait Barka
Induced Resistance and Plant Biosection Research Unit-EA 4707-USC INRAE1488, Reims Cham-pagne-Ardenne University, 51687 Reims, France
Rachid Lahlali
Phytopathology Unit, Department of Plant Protection, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, Km10, Rte Haj Kaddour, BP S/40, Meknès 50001, Morocco
Apple production holds a prominent position in Morocco’s Rosaceae family. However, annual production can fluctuate due to substantial losses caused by fungal diseases affecting stored apples. Our findings emphasize that the pre-storage treatment of apples, disinfection of storage facilities, box type, and fruit sorting are pivotal factors affecting apple losses during storage. Additionally, the adopted preservation technique was significantly correlated with the percentage of damage caused by fungal infections. Blue mold accounts for nearly three-quarters of the diseases detected, followed by gray rot with a relatively significant incidence. This study has revealed several fungal diseases affecting stored apples caused by pathogens such as Penicillium expansum, Botrytis cinerea, Alternaria alternata, Trichothecium roseum, Fusarium avenaceum, Cadophora malorum, and Neofabraea vagabunda. Notably, these last two fungal species have been reported for the first time in Morocco as pathogens of stored apples. These data affirm that the high losses of apples in Morocco, attributed primarily to P. expansum and B. cinerea, pose a significant threat in terms of reduced production and diminished fruit quality. Hence, adopting controlled atmosphere storage chambers and implementing good practices before apple storage is crucial.
