Influence of fungal pathogens and environmental conditions on disease severity, flower fall and desiccation of harvested Geraldton waxflower - 2. Studies with commercial packages

Relationships were examined between environmental conditions mediated by pa ckaging and handling and the deterioration of harvested Geraldton waxflower cv. 'Fortune Cookie'. Disease severity plus flower and leaf drop caused by inoculation with Botrytis cinerea were reduced by lowering handling temper atures to 0, 5 or 5/20 degreesC alternated daily, versus 20 degreesC. They were also reduced by inhibition of ethylene action with a silver thiosulfat e pulse pretreatment. Additionally, treatments that enhanced water loss, su ch as packing dry, keeping forced air-cooling holes open and strategic plac ement of extra ventilation holes may also reduce disease severity and flowe r plus leaf fall. Inclusion of KMnO4-based Bloomfresh ethylene scrubbing sa chets in packages did not reduce disease severity or lessen flower plus lea f fall. Thus, deterioration of waxflower packaged in commercial cartons can be minimised by keeping temperatures low, packing plant material dry, use of cartons with strategically placed ventilation holes and/or pretreatment with silver thiosulfate.