Agriculture & Food, Volume 5, 2017

Rezumat: Postharvest losses during handling, shipping, storage and supply are the most important problems in agriculture based economy, especially in perishable fruits. Blue mould (Penicillium italicum) is the most important postharvest pathogen of fresh and stored citrus fruits. The pathogen being necrotroph, enters into the fruit through rind wounds caused during the pre- and postharvest. In the current investigation, pre-harvest experiments were carried out by using organic elicitor and inorganic salts while Topsin M was used as positive control. Treatments were made seven days before harvest. Ten fruits were harvested from each plant and these fruits were inoculated with P. italicum, placed in boxes and stored at 20°C for seven days. Data were recorded at daily basis up to the rotting of control. The results revealed that Potassium Bicarbonate and Salicylic Acid (9 mM) effectively reduced the lesion diameter and growth inhibition% of P. italicum as compared to control. However, Salicylic acid (5 mM) and Sodium carbonate were less effective as compared to other inorganic salts. Hence it is inferred from the present studies that application of inorganic salts may be utilized for the eco-friendly management of postharvest diseases in citrus. This will be helpful to reduce pesticides hazards and environmental degradation.