Share

Effect of pre-harvest chitosan sprays on post-harvest infection by Botrytis cinerea and quality of strawberrry fruit.

Author(s) : REDDY M. V., BELKACEMI K., CORCUFF R., et al.

Type of article: Article

Summary

The effect of pre-harvest sprays of chitosan on post-harvest decay and quality of strawberries stored at 3 and 13 °C was investigated. Strawberry plants were sprayed with 2, 4 and 6 g/l, chitosan solutions as the fruit were turning red. A second spray was performed after 10 days. Fruit were picked 5 and 10 days after each spray. Harvested fruit from chitosan sprayed plants were challenged with Botrytis cinerea. Chitosan sprays significantly reduced post-harvest fungal rot and maintained the keeping quality of the fruit compared with control. The incidence of decay decreased with increased chitosan concentration and increased with storage period and temperature. The second spray of chitosan extended the protective effect against decay of fruit from subsequent picks. Chitosan sprays protected the fruit from decay and kept the fruit qualitly at an acceptable level throughout the storage period of 4 weeks in fruit stored at 3 °C. Kinetic data on decay and ripening characteristics provided quantitative evidence that chitosan compensates for higher storage temperature and protects against deterioration of lower quality fruit from the second harvest.

Details

  • Original title: Effect of pre-harvest chitosan sprays on post-harvest infection by Botrytis cinerea and quality of strawberrry fruit.
  • Record ID : 2001-1877
  • Languages: English
  • Source: Postharvest Biol. Technol. - vol. 20 - n. 1
  • Publication date: 2000/08

Links


See other articles in this issue (7)
See the source

Indexing