Enhancement of the performance of Candida saitoana by the addition of glycolchitosan for the control of postharvest decay of apple and citrus fruit

At a concentration of 0.025% (w/v) chitosan-chloride inhibited spore germin ation of Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium expansum, and Candida saitoana. In c ontrast, at 0.5% (w/v) glycolchitosan inhibited spore germination of B. cin erea and P. expansum, but not the growth of C. saitoana in vitro or in appl e wounds. The combination of C, saitoana with 0.2% glycolchitosan was more effective in controlling gray and blue mold of apple caused by B. cinerea a nd P. expansum, respectively, and green mold of oranges and lemons caused b y P. digitatum than C. saitoana or 0.2% glycolchitosan alone. The level of control was similar to that obtained with the fungicide imazalil on oranges and lemons. C. saitoana in combination with 0.2% glycolchitosan reduced gr een mold incidence equally on light green and yellow lemons, while C. saito ana was more effective on light green lemons than on yellow lemons. When ap plied as a pretreatment, sodium carbonate enhanced the efficacy of all trea tments tested against green mold with the greatest effect on light green le mons. Of the treatments tested, pretreatment with sodium carbonate followed by the combination of C. saitoana with 0.2% glycolchitosan was the most ef fective in controlling green mold of both light green and yellow lemons. (C ) Published by Elsevier Science B.V.