ISHS Acta Horticulturae 446: VI International Symposium on Vaccinium Culture
POSTHARVEST INFECTION OF BLUEBERRIES DURING HANDLING |
| Author: | W.O. Cline |
| Keywords: | Colletotrichum, Alternaria, Vaccinium, highbush, rabbiteye |
| Abstract:
Postharvest rots of hand-harvested blueberries were increased when infected, spore-bearing fruit were introduced into simulated hopper-fed pint (551 ml volume) filling lines. Infection of ‘Bluechip’ berries handled on surfaces contaminated with conidia of Colletotrichum ranged from 3.6% for dry-handled berries to 63.5% when berries were handled wet. Similar results were obtained with Alternaria tenuissima. Added moisture, added inoculum and stem scar size/wetness all contributed to increased rots. Ripe rot of ‘Blue Ridge’ southern highbush blueberries caused by Colletotrichum increased from 2.3% in clean buckets to 26.2% in infested buckets. Ripe rot was also significantly increased in ‘Tifblue’ rabbiteye berries by the use of infested picking containers, but only when berries were packed wet. The introduction of a single spore-bearing fruit per half-pint (170 gram) container was found to significantly increase ripe rot on wet-handled ‘Tifblue’ rabbiteye blueberries. | |
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