Integrated Management of Causal Agents of Postharvest Fruit Rot of Apple

Abstract

One of the major causes of poor quality and fruit loss (during storage and transport)are diseases caused by phytopathogenic fungi. Economic losses which are the consequenceof the phytopathogenic fungus activity after harvest exceed the losses in the field.Themost important postharvest fungal pathogens of apple fruits are: Botrytis cinerea Pers. exFr., Penicillium expansum (Lk.) Thom., Cryptosporiopsis curvispora (Peck.) Grem., Colletotrichumgloeosporioides (Penz.) Sacc., Monilinia sp., Gloeosporium album Osterw, Alternaria alternata(Fr.) Keissler, Cladosporium herbarium Link., Cylindrocarpon mali (Alles.) Wollenw., Stemphyliumbotryosum Wallr. The use of available protection technologies can significantly reducelosses caused by pathogens in storage. The concept of integrated pest management (IPM)in apple fruits i.e. sustainable approach in control of causal agents of postharvest fruit rot,using cultural, physical, biological and chemical measures, to minimize economic, healthand risks to consumers and environment, is presented in the paper.

Keywords

• Apple fruits
• Rot causal agents
• Storage
• Integrated management