Postharvest Diseases of Pomegranate: Alternative Control Means and a Spiderweb Effect
The pomegranate is a fruit known since ancient times for its beneficial properties. It has recently aroused great interest in the industry and among consumers, leading to a significant increase in demand. Consequently, its cultivation has been boosted all over the world. The pomegranate crop suffers...
| Autores principales: | , , , , , , , |
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| Formato: | article |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
MDPI
2023
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11939/8718 https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/9/8/808 |
| _version_ | 1855032841663938560 |
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| author | Mincuzzi, Annamaria Picciotti, Ugo Sanzani, Simona Marianna Garganese, Francesca Palou, Lluís Addante, Rocco Ragni, Marco Ippolito, Antonio |
| author_browse | Addante, Rocco Garganese, Francesca Ippolito, Antonio Mincuzzi, Annamaria Palou, Lluís Picciotti, Ugo Ragni, Marco Sanzani, Simona Marianna |
| author_facet | Mincuzzi, Annamaria Picciotti, Ugo Sanzani, Simona Marianna Garganese, Francesca Palou, Lluís Addante, Rocco Ragni, Marco Ippolito, Antonio |
| author_sort | Mincuzzi, Annamaria |
| collection | ReDivia |
| description | The pomegranate is a fruit known since ancient times for its beneficial properties. It has recently aroused great interest in the industry and among consumers, leading to a significant increase in demand. Consequently, its cultivation has been boosted all over the world. The pomegranate crop suffers considerable yield losses, especially at the postharvest stage, because it is a “minor crop” with few permitted control means. To control latent (Alternaria spp., Botrytis spp., Coniella spp., Colletotrichum spp., and Cytospora spp.) and wound (Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., and Talaromyces spp.) fungal pathogens, different alternative compounds, previously evaluated in vitro, were tested in the field on pomegranate cv. Wonderful. A chitosan solution, a plant protein hydrolysate, and a red seaweed extract were compared with a chemical control treatment, all as preharvest (field application) and postharvest treatments and their combinations. At the end of the storage period, the incidence of stamen infections and external and internal rots, and the severity of internal decay were evaluated. Obtained data revealed that pre- and postharvest application of all substances reduced the epiphytic population on stamens. Preharvest applications of seaweed extract and plant hydrolysate were the most effective treatments to reduce the severity of internal pomegranate decays. Furthermore, the influence of spider (Cheiracanthium mildei) cocoons on the fruit calyx as a possible barrier against postharvest fungal pathogens was assessed in a ‘Mollar de Elche’ pomegranate organic orchard. Compared to no-cocoon fruit (control), the incidence of infected stamens and internal molds in those with spiderwebs was reduced by about 30%, and the mean severity of internal rots was halved. Spiderwebs analyzed via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) disclosed a layered, unordered structure that did not allow for the passage of fungal spores due to its mean mesh size (1 to 20 µm ca). The aims of this research were (I) to evaluate alternative compounds useful to control postharvest pomegranate decays and (II) to evaluate the effectiveness of spiders in reducing postharvest fungal infections by analyzing related mechanisms of action. Alternative control means proposed in the present work and calyx spider colonization may be helpful to reduce postharvest pomegranate diseases, yield losses, and waste production in an integrated control strategy, satisfying organic agriculture and the planned goals of Zero Hunger Challenge launched by the United Nations. |
| format | article |
| id | ReDivia8718 |
| institution | Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA) |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | MDPI |
| publisherStr | MDPI |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ReDivia87182025-04-25T14:49:21Z Postharvest Diseases of Pomegranate: Alternative Control Means and a Spiderweb Effect Mincuzzi, Annamaria Picciotti, Ugo Sanzani, Simona Marianna Garganese, Francesca Palou, Lluís Addante, Rocco Ragni, Marco Ippolito, Antonio Gray mold Black heart Spiderweb Fungistatic Biostimulants Diseases H20 Plant diseases Q02 Food processing and preservation J10 Handling, transport, storage and protection of agricultural products Punica granatum Fungicides Arachnida Microorganisms Plant diseases Postharvest diseases The pomegranate is a fruit known since ancient times for its beneficial properties. It has recently aroused great interest in the industry and among consumers, leading to a significant increase in demand. Consequently, its cultivation has been boosted all over the world. The pomegranate crop suffers considerable yield losses, especially at the postharvest stage, because it is a “minor crop” with few permitted control means. To control latent (Alternaria spp., Botrytis spp., Coniella spp., Colletotrichum spp., and Cytospora spp.) and wound (Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., and Talaromyces spp.) fungal pathogens, different alternative compounds, previously evaluated in vitro, were tested in the field on pomegranate cv. Wonderful. A chitosan solution, a plant protein hydrolysate, and a red seaweed extract were compared with a chemical control treatment, all as preharvest (field application) and postharvest treatments and their combinations. At the end of the storage period, the incidence of stamen infections and external and internal rots, and the severity of internal decay were evaluated. Obtained data revealed that pre- and postharvest application of all substances reduced the epiphytic population on stamens. Preharvest applications of seaweed extract and plant hydrolysate were the most effective treatments to reduce the severity of internal pomegranate decays. Furthermore, the influence of spider (Cheiracanthium mildei) cocoons on the fruit calyx as a possible barrier against postharvest fungal pathogens was assessed in a ‘Mollar de Elche’ pomegranate organic orchard. Compared to no-cocoon fruit (control), the incidence of infected stamens and internal molds in those with spiderwebs was reduced by about 30%, and the mean severity of internal rots was halved. Spiderwebs analyzed via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) disclosed a layered, unordered structure that did not allow for the passage of fungal spores due to its mean mesh size (1 to 20 µm ca). The aims of this research were (I) to evaluate alternative compounds useful to control postharvest pomegranate decays and (II) to evaluate the effectiveness of spiders in reducing postharvest fungal infections by analyzing related mechanisms of action. Alternative control means proposed in the present work and calyx spider colonization may be helpful to reduce postharvest pomegranate diseases, yield losses, and waste production in an integrated control strategy, satisfying organic agriculture and the planned goals of Zero Hunger Challenge launched by the United Nations. 2023-10-02T07:07:19Z 2023-10-02T07:07:19Z 2023 article publishedVersion Mincuzzi, A., Picciotti, U., Sanzani, S. M., Garganese, F., Palou, L., Addante, R., ... & Ippolito, A. (2023). Postharvest Diseases of Pomegranate: Alternative Control Means and a Spiderweb Effect. Journal of Fungi, 9(8), 808. 2309-608X https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11939/8718 10.3390/jof9080808 https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/9/8/808 en This work was conducted within the project StopMedWaste, “Innovative Sustainable technologies to extend the shelf-life of Perishable Mediterranean fresh fruit, vegetables, and aromatic plants and to reduce WASTE,” which is funded by the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA), Project ID: 1556, a program supported by the European Union, and the project Euphresco Basics “Basic substances as an environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic pesticides for plant protection”. info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/PRIMA/1556/EU/Innovative Sustainable technologies to extend the shelf-life of Perishable Mediterranean fresh fruit, vegetables, and aromatic plants and to reduce WASTE/StopMedWaste Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internacional http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ openAccess MDPI electronico |
| spellingShingle | Gray mold Black heart Spiderweb Fungistatic Biostimulants Diseases H20 Plant diseases Q02 Food processing and preservation J10 Handling, transport, storage and protection of agricultural products Punica granatum Fungicides Arachnida Microorganisms Plant diseases Postharvest diseases Mincuzzi, Annamaria Picciotti, Ugo Sanzani, Simona Marianna Garganese, Francesca Palou, Lluís Addante, Rocco Ragni, Marco Ippolito, Antonio Postharvest Diseases of Pomegranate: Alternative Control Means and a Spiderweb Effect |
| title | Postharvest Diseases of Pomegranate: Alternative Control Means and a Spiderweb Effect |
| title_full | Postharvest Diseases of Pomegranate: Alternative Control Means and a Spiderweb Effect |
| title_fullStr | Postharvest Diseases of Pomegranate: Alternative Control Means and a Spiderweb Effect |
| title_full_unstemmed | Postharvest Diseases of Pomegranate: Alternative Control Means and a Spiderweb Effect |
| title_short | Postharvest Diseases of Pomegranate: Alternative Control Means and a Spiderweb Effect |
| title_sort | postharvest diseases of pomegranate alternative control means and a spiderweb effect |
| topic | Gray mold Black heart Spiderweb Fungistatic Biostimulants Diseases H20 Plant diseases Q02 Food processing and preservation J10 Handling, transport, storage and protection of agricultural products Punica granatum Fungicides Arachnida Microorganisms Plant diseases Postharvest diseases |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11939/8718 https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/9/8/808 |
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