Incidence of storage diseases on apples of selected cultivars and advanced selections grown with and without fungicide treatments

Abstract

ABstrAct:In the course of a 3-year study the natural occurrence of storage diseases in ambient air storage with 1 to 2°C was evaluated on samples of 30 cultivars and advanced selections that were harvested from orchards with and without the use of fungicide treatments. Based upon the frequency of occurrence, bitter rot and grey mould were the most common diseases in this study followed by blue mould and brown rot. Fungicide treatments applied in the orchard with integrated plant protection reduced total fruit rotting with different cultivars two to four times. Significant losses caused by rotting usually took place in the last quarter of the normal storage life of each cultivar, but in the case of samples treated with fungicides it was mostly during the last month. Cultivars Angold, Gala, Florina, Melodie and Meteor proved to be partially resistant to the storage diseases, but the smallest shares of rotted fruits were recorded on apples of Zuzana and Melrose. Still, five advanced selections proved not to be so affected by fruit rotting as Melrose and Zuzana, from which HL 237 and HL 390 were the most remarkable. The majority of selections with resistance to storage diseases as well as Zuzana cv. contain Glockenapfel cv. in their pedigree.

Postharvest Application of Fungicides, Antagonists and Plant Products for Controlling Storage Scab and Rots of Apple Fruits

“…Similar observations were also seen on occurrence of storage rot on apples obtained from comparable conditions in other studies (Deel and Prange, 1993). Blazek et al (2006) further reported that fruits of very susceptible cultivar were destroyed by rotting after 100 days storage. Kaul (1984) also found that most of the commercial apple cultivars were susceptible to rot causing fungal pathogens.…”

Comparison of the occurrence of fungi causing postharvest diseases of apples grown in organic and integrated production systems in orchards in the Czech Republic.

“…Fungal succession in apples probably starts anew after each fungicide application and therefore endophytic fungi and fungi causing postharvest diseases occur in organically produced apples more frequently than in apples from integrated production. Blažek et al (2006) recorded symptoms of bitter rot (Neofabraea) and grey mould (Botrytis cinerea; together 32.48% and 14.74% of apples without chemical protection and with chemical protection, respectively) more frequently than those of brown rot (Monilinia fructigena; 1.57% and 0.3%) and blue mould (Penicillium; 5.56% and 2.00%). Ivić et al (2012) found the species Monilinia fructigena (0-7.03% of apples per year), Penicillium expansum (0.1-0.53%), Botrytis cinerea (0.2-0.53%) in apples of cultivar Idared (stored in a storage room without temperature regulation), but Neofabraea spp.…”

“…Comparison of different production systems Blažek et al (2006) compared frequencies of occurrence of bitter rot (Neofabraea vagabunda -formerly N. alba or N. malicorticis), grey mould (Botrytis cinerea), brown rot (Monilinia fructigena) and blue mould (Penicillium expansum) of 30 apple cultivars in an orchard without chemical protection (= organic production system) and in an orchard with chemical protection (= integrated production system or chemical production system). They found lower frequencies of occurrence of the fungal postharvest disease on apples from trees with chemical protection than from those without chemical protection.…”

“…In the majority of papers dealing with the occurrence of fungal postharvest diseases of apples the fungi are identified without being isolated in pure culture (only based on symptoms) (e.g. DeEll & Prange 1993, Blažek et al 2006, Jönsson et al 2009 or without identification on species level. In the present study, a number of 2,007 fungi were isolated from apples with symptoms of postharvest diseases and identified using morphological features on genus level only.…”

“…Fusarium, Neofabraea, Penicillium) (Sanderson & Spotts 1995, Jones et al 1996, Amiri & Bompeix 2005. Postharvest fungal diseases of stored apples grown in organic and integrated production systems were investigated by DeEll & Prange (1993), Blažek et al (2006) and Jönsson et al (2009). However, they classified the species according to the observed disease symptoms on fruits.…”