N. Teixido et al., Efficacy of preharvest and postharvest Candida sake biocontrol treatments to prevent blue mould on apples during cold storage, INT J F MIC, 50(3), 1999, pp. 203-210
This study compared the biocontrol efficiency of preharvest and postharvest
applied yeast cells of Candida sake to apples (cv. Golden Delicious) wound
ed before and after harvest and inoculated with Penicillium expansum prior
to cold storage conditions in two seasons, 1994/95 and 1995/96. The establi
shment of populations of C. sake during this period also was determined. In
both years, postharvest treatment with the antagonist resulted in signific
ant (P < 0.05) and effective control of Penicillium rot whether pre- or pos
tharvest wounds were made. Maximum disease control achieved, in terms of in
cidence and severity, was greater than 80% reduction in lesion diameter and
50% reduction in the incidence of lesions. However, preharvest application
of the antagonistic yeast at a concentration of 3 . 10(6) CFU/ml was less
effective against Penicillium rot than postharvest treatment. No advantages
in biocontrol were observed when apples were treated with the yeast antago
nist both pre- and postharvest. Candida sake population levels during cold
storage of apples receiving only preharvest application of the antagonist d
ecreased prior and more rapidly than levels in apples receiving a postharve
st application. High populations of C. sake were present in postharvest-tre
ated apples, even after 90 days in cold storage. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science
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