INFLUENCE OF FUNGICIDE TREATMENT AND STORAGE-CONDITIONS ON MOLD AND YEAST ACTIVITY ON SATSUMA MANDARINE

The activity of mould and yeast population on the surface of 'Satsuma' mandarin was studied at four temperatures (2, 4, 10 and 20-degrees-C) and two relative humidity (RH) levels (80 and 93%) on fruits washed a nd on fruits washed and treated with a fungicide mixture (1200 ppm thi abendazole + 800 guazatine + 400 ppm prochloraz), stored for 20 and 40 days. The lowest final microbial counts (CFU) were for the fruits tre ated and stored at 2-degrees-C and 93% RH and the highest counts were for fruits stored at 20-degrees-C and 93% RH regardless of fungicide t reatment. Throughout the storage period, yeast and Cladosporium spp. w ere predominant in the microbial counts and generally showed reducing trends. The fungicide treatment was very efficient and persistent. The absence of antifungal treatment and the increase of RH levels caused a greater rise of CFU than the increase of the storage period or tempe rature. An increase in the CFU values with the increase of RH was obse rved in untreated fruits. The treatment of 'Satsuma' fruits with the f ungicide mixture, followed by cold storage at 2-degrees-C and 93% RH, extended the storage period at least 40 days.