Diversity and population dynamics of Penicillium spp. on apples in pre‐ and postharvest environments: consequences for decay development

Abstract

Isolates of Penicillium spp. were collected regularly from 2001 to 2003 from the surfaces of apple fruit pre-and postharvest, and from the atmosphere of orchards and storage rooms in France. Penicillium spp. were not detected from the atmosphere of conventional orchards, while their density did not exceed 50 spores m − 3 in the atmosphere of organically managed orchards. Penicillium spp. were seldom detected on apple surfaces in the orchard. The density of Penicillium on apples increased from 10 to 50 spores cm − 2 after 1 month in storage to 300 -400 spores cm − 2 after 6 months. The level of airborne Penicillium increased by up to 2 × 10 4 and 2·5 × 10 3 spores m − 3 within nondisinfected and previously disinfected warehouses, respectively. Penicillium expansum (30 -62%) and P. solitum (6 -45%) were the most prevalent species on apple or in storage rooms. Other species of Penicillium isolated included P. commune , P. verrucosum , P. chrysogenum , P. rugulosum and P. digitatum . Apple fruit were also surveyed for wounds and the number of open lenticels using the sulphur dioxide test. The incidence of wounding at harvest varied from 12 to 36%, depending on cultivar and locality. When apples were inoculated at harvest by either aqueous or aerial inoculum of P. expansum , the decay incidence was constantly higher than the incidence of wounding. The number of open lenticels per cm 2 of apple surface varied from 0·5 on cv. Boskoop to 4·4 on cv. Golden Delicious. An average of 13 and 2·1% of lenticels, respectively, were infected when they were inoculated by P. expansum and P. verrucosum . Cultivars of apple fruit that showed a greater number of open lenticels, combined with a large diameter varying from 100 to 200 µ m, were more susceptible to P. expansum .

Pathogenic Penicillium spp. on Apple and Pear

“…in terms of decay on pome fruit identified in this study were P. expansum, P. crustosum, P. digitatum and P. solitum. These species have formerly been described in pome fruit environments (2,22) and pathogenic (excluding P. digitatum) on pome fruit (14,22,32). Sanderson and Spotts (22) previously reported isolating P.…”

“…Other pathogenic species reported include P. aurantiogriseum Dierckx., P. brevicompactum Dierckx., P.commune Thom, P. griseofulvum Dierckx., P. verrucosum, Dierckx. and P. carneum Frisvad (2,12,16,18,23). However, these species have less often been associated with decay of pome fruit.…”

“…isolated from pome fruit environments (2,22) are best known as pathogens on other fruit crops. These include P. digitatum (Pers.:Fr.)…”

Identification of Penicillium expansum causing postharvest blue mold decay of apple fruit

“…Blue mold can be caused by different Penicillium species, among which P. expansum is usually considered to be the most important (Rosenberger, 1990). Other Penicillium species able to cause similar decay include P. solitum, P. crustosum, P. italicum, P. digitatum, P. commune, P. verrucosum, P. rugulosum, P. polonicum and P. chrysogenum (Pitt et al, 1991;Sanderson & Spotts, 1995;Amiri & Bompeix, 2005;Andersen & Thrame, 2006;Sang et al, 2010;Vico et al, 2014). Since several Penicillium species can be responsible for blue mold decay of apples, a precise characterization of the causal agent is important, especially for fruit destined for processing because of the putative presence of the mycotoxin patulin (Barkai-Golan, 2008).…”

Aplicação pós-colheita de cloreto de dodecil dimetil amônio reduz podridões causadas por Penicillium spp. em maçãs

“…As rachaduras na epiderme de maçãs podem ser uma porta de entrada para um patógeno ou um apoio para o seu desenvolvimento e/ou fixação na superfície externa dos frutos (AMIRI; BOMPEIX, 2005). Na cutícula de frutos da cultivar Fuji, as rachaduras ou imperfeições são mais evidentes que em maçãs 'Gala' (MONTERO et al, 2010), o que pode ter contribuído para que as cultivares fossem afetadas de forma diferente pelo patógeno.…”