Strategic eco-friendly management of post-harvest fruit rot in papaya caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

Abstract

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is one of the important fruits cultivated in the tropical and subtropical regions are widely prone to the post-harvest anthracnose disease. A sum of ten isolates of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides were collected and identified through morphological and molecular method. Morphological characterization of the isolates revealed a wide variation among the isolates with respect to colony colour, topography, margin, pigmentation and zonation. The ITS gene region and the specific primer, MKCgF coupled with ITS-4, which generated amplicons of size 560 bp and 380 bp respectively for C. gloeosporioides. The amplicon (560 bp) of virulent strain Cg1 was partially sequenced [MF062699]. In order to formulate eco-friendly management practices, the in vitro screening of different biocontrol agents viz., Bacillus spp., Pseudomonas spp., plant extracts and essential oils were tested against the C. gloeosporioides. Based on the in vitro efficacy, Bacillus sp. (BSP1) and cinnamon oil were selected and further tested under field conditions as pre harvest spray and after harvest as fruit dipping. The experimental results revealed that pre-harvest spray with Bacillus sp. (BSP1) (5%) + post-harvest dipping with cinnamon oil (0.1%) recorded the lowest PDI of 3.25 when compared to control (70.36) and also increased the shelf life of papaya fruits up to 14 days. Our results show that this novel methodology of use a combination of biocontrol agent as pre-harvest spray and essential oils as post-harvest fruit dipping will protect against post-harvest anthracnose of papaya and use of chemical fungicides can be avoided.

Management of Post-Harvest Anthracnose: Current Approaches and Future Perspectives

“…The damages caused by this disease even grow in other susceptible hosts. In this context, the shelf life of papaya in India, the main producer of this fruit worldwide [ 5 ], is seriously compromised by Colletotrichum spp., determining losses up to 93% [ 39 , 40 ]. Similarly, anthracnose represents a severe post-harvest disease for mango fruits, especially in regions where infections are favored by the climatic conditions and its incidence can reach the 100% of the production [ 23 ].…”

Post-harvest Survey of Fungal Diseases Associated with Soursop (Annona muricata L.) Fruits

“…Its impact seems to be at its peak during post-harvest storage owing to serious fruit damage (Ciofini et al, 2022). Anthracnose has been reported to be associated with the disease of several fruits, amounting to 30-40% loss of marketable products (Maqbool et al, 2010;Darshan et al, 2019). Thus, anthracnose can present a severe post-harvest disease infection on fruits, especially in regions with favourable environmental conditions (Arauz, 2000;Ciofini et al, 2022).…”

Design and Synthesis of Eugenol Derivatives Bearing a 1,2,3-Triazole Moiety for Papaya Protection against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

“…The pursuit of healthier and more nutritious foods, such as fruits, has witnessed significant growth over the years . Papaya (Carica papaya L.), a staple crop in tropical and subtropical countries, holds substantial economic importance and is prominently cultivated and traded in Brazil, particularly in the regions of Espírito Santo, Bahia, and Ceará States. , In acknowledging its nutritional and medicinal value, papaya is widely consumed, boasting high levels of vitamins (A, B1, B2, C, and E), minerals (potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and iron), and dietary fibers that contribute to intestinal regulation. , …”