ISHS Acta Horticulturae 297: II International Symposium on Kiwifruit
PHYSIOLOGY OF BOTRYTIS INFECTION IN KIWIFRUIT |
| Authors: | Keith R. Sharrock, Ian C. Hallett |
| Keywords: | stem-end rots, spore germination, hyphae, stem scars, curing, lysozyme, chitinase, scanning electron microscopy |
| Abstract:
The primary route of entry of Botrytis cinerea into kiwifruit inoculated on the picking scar was via the vasculature of the stem wound and involved some rotting of the underlying sclerified mucro. B. cinerea was detected on the picking scars of at least 13% of fruit after grading and packing, but fewer than 1% of fruit of the same harvest developed aggressive stem-end rots. Evidence indicated that microbial antagonists on the stem scars may limit the success of B. cinerea in becoming established. Germination of B. cinerea spores inoculated onto fruit stem scars was greatly reduced by prior curing of fruit for 7 days at ambient temperatures. Collapsed spores occurred with much greater frequency on the cured fruit than on controls. Samples of the stem plug and of underlying fruit tissues, collected at harvest and during curing and cool storage, were screened for inhibitors of B. cinerea spore germination and hyphal growth. Potentially antimicrobial lysozyme/chitinase activity was detected in both tissue types, at levels which were unaffected by curing. | |
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