Elicitors on the control of anthracnose and post-harvest quality in papaya fruits1

Andréa Celina Ferreira Demartelaere,Romulo Gil De Luna,Juliete Araújo Da Silva,George Henrique Camêlo Guimarães,Luciana Cordeiro Do Nascimento

doi:10.1590/1983-40632016v4745093

Andréa Celina Ferreira Demartelaere, Romulo Gil De Luna + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-40632016v4745093

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Papaya is one of the most grown and consumed fruits in the world. However, post-harvest diseases are responsible for more than 50 % of losses, including anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum gloesporioides, which promotes necrotic and rounded lesions and reduces fruit quality. Alternative products have been widely investigated in the control of pathogens. This study aimed at evaluating the efficiency of elicitors in the control of anthracnose, as well as their effect on post-harvest quality, in papaya fruits. The fruits were disinfested and immersed in acibenzolar-S-methyl, potassium phosphite, Rocksil®, Agro-mos®, Ecolife®, sterilized distilled water and prochloraz, inoculated with C. gloesporioides and stored. Potassium phosphite, Rocksil®, Ecolife® and prochloraz resulted in the smallest diameters of lesions, and, consequently, in a greater protection and enzymatic activity. The fruits treated with Rocksil® and Ecolife® maintained the lowest levels of soluble solids and titratable acidity. Potassium phosphite, Rocksil® and Ecolife® are effective in controlling anthracnose, do not change the appearance and preserve the post-harvest quality of papaya fruits, and, therefore, may be used as an alternative to commercial fungicides.

Highlights

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is one of the most widely grown and consumed fruits in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, due to its pleasant aroma and taste, as well as high nutritional value (Viana et al 2015).Papaya is an economically important crop in Brazil, with a production of 1.50 million tons in 2016 (CNA 2017), becoming the third most widely consumed fruit in the country
The papaya fruits were immersed, for 5 min, in either 0.2 g L-1 of acibenzolar-Smethyl, 150 mL ha-1 of potassium phosphite (P2O5 40 % + K 20 % - product originated from the neutralization of phosphorus acid by a base), 30 g L-1 of Rocksil®, 50 mL/20 L of Agro-mos® or 3 mL L-1 of Ecolife®, depending on the treatment
Rocksil®, Ecolife® and the positive control prochloraz led to the smallest lesion diameters (11.50 mm, 12.60 mm, 13.50 mm and 8.10 mm, respectively), the lowest area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) of the disease progression (1.17, 1.30, 1.47 and 1.15, respectively) and the highest protection percentages (82.25 %, 79.15 %, 77.65 % and 84.65 %, respectively) (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is one of the most widely grown and consumed fruits in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, due to its pleasant aroma and taste, as well as high nutritional value (rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamins C and E) (Viana et al 2015). Papaya is an economically important crop in Brazil, with a production of 1.50 million tons in 2016 (CNA 2017), becoming the third most widely consumed fruit in the country. Post-harvest losses can be caused by mechanical and physiological damages, and mainly by pathogens, affecting the development of crops and the Brazilian regional economy (Ruggiero et al 2011). Post-harvest diseases are responsible for losses, in many cases, of more than 50 % in fruits, before they are available to consumers, and those that are available do not always have the desired quality

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