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Control Strategies for Postharvest Grey Mould on Fruit Crops

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Botrytis – the Fungus, the Pathogen and its Management in Agricultural Systems

Abstract

Grey mould, incited by Botrytis cinerea is considered as a major cause of postharvest losses in a wide range of crops including fruits, vegetables, cut flowers and flower bulbs. The infection can occur in the field, remain quiescent during the season, and develop after harvest. The pathogen is capable of infecting plant tissues through surface injuries inflicted during harvesting and subsequent handling and develop to mold during storage at 0 °C and above. The extent of postharvest decay is affected by preharvest disease management and by postharvest practices. To minimize postharvest grey mould, control programs rely mainly on applications of fungicides in the field. However, mounting concerns of consumers and health authorities about risks associated with chemical residues in food have led to imposing strict regulations and even banning the use of certain chemical groups. These developments have been strongly driving the search for alternative management strategies that are safe and effective. In this chapter, different control strategies are discussed while presenting their advantages and disadvantages. These strategies include the use of chemical fungicides, biocontrol agents, physical means, natural antimicrobials, and decontaminating agents. Based on examples to control grey mould on specific crops, it is concluded that an integrated management program in which adopting a holistic approach is the key for meeting the challenge of minimizing postharvest losses caused by B. cinerea. To optimize the efficacy of treatments, it is essential to understand their mechanism of action. Information about direct and indirect effects of each approach on the pathogen will be presented.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy

    Gianfranco Romanazzi

  2. Department of Postharvest Science ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel

    Samir Droby

Authors
  1. Gianfranco Romanazzi
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  2. Samir Droby
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Gianfranco Romanazzi or Samir Droby .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de Versailles-Grignon, INRA, Thiverval-Grignon, France

    Sabine Fillinger

  2. Dept. Plant Path. and Weed Res., ARO, Bet Dagan, Israel

    Yigal Elad

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Romanazzi, G., Droby, S. (2016). Control Strategies for Postharvest Grey Mould on Fruit Crops. In: Fillinger, S., Elad, Y. (eds) Botrytis – the Fungus, the Pathogen and its Management in Agricultural Systems. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23371-0_11

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