Ethanol for postharvest decay control of table grapes: application and mode of action

Abstract

Original objectives: Dipping of table grapes in ethanol was determined to be an effective measure to control postharvest gray mold infection caused by Botrytis cinerea. Our objectives were to study the effects of ethanol on B.cinerea and table grapes and to conduct research that will facilitate the implementation of this treatment. Background: Botrytis cinerea is known as the major pathogen of table grapes in cold storage. To date, the only commercial technology to control it relied on sulfur dioxide (SO₂) implemented by either fumigation of storage facilities or from slow release generator pads which are positioned directly over the fruits. This treatment is very effective but it has several drawbacks such as aftertaste, bleaching and hypersensitivity to humans which took it out of the GRAS list of compounds and warranted further seek for alternatives. Prior to this research ethanol was shown to control several pathogens in different commodities including table grapes and B. cinerea. Hence it seemed to be a simple and promising technology which could offer a true alternative for storage of table grapes. Further research was however required to answer some practical and theoretical questions which remained unanswered. Major conclusions, solutions, achievements: In this research project we have shown convincingly that 30% ethanol is sufficient to prevent germination of B. cinerea and kill the spores. In a comparative study it was shown that Alternaria alternata is also rather sensitive but Rhizopus stolonifer and Aspergillus niger are less sensitive to ethanol. Consequently, ethanol protected the grapes from decay but did not have a significant effect on occurrence of mycotoxigenic Aspergillus species which are present on the surface of the berry. B. cinerea responded to ethanol or heat treatments by inducing sporulation and transient expression of the heat shock protein HSP104. Similar responses were not detected in grape berries. It was also shown that application of ethanol to berries did not induce subsequent resistance and actually the berries were slightly more susceptible to infection. The heat dose required to kill the spores was determined and it was proven that a combination of heat and ethanol allowed reduction of both the ethanol and heat dose. Ethanol and heat did not reduce the amount or appearance of the wax layers which are an essential component of the external protection of the berry. The ethanol and acetaldehyde content increased after treatment and during storage but the content was much lower than the natural ethanol content in other fruits. The efficacy of ethanol applied before harvest was similar to that of the biological control agent, Metschnikowia fructicola, Finally, the performance of ethanol could be improved synergistically by packaging the bunches in modified atmosphere films which prevent the accumulation of free water. Implications, both scientific and agricultural: It was shown that the major mode of action of ethanol is mediated by its lethal effect on fungal inoculum. Because ethanol acts mainly on the cell membranes, it was possible to enhance its effect by lowering the concentration and elevating the temperature of the treatment. Another important development was the continuous protection of the treated bunches by modified atmosphere that can solve the problem of secondary or internal infection. From the practical standpoint, a variety of means were offered to enhance the effect of the treatment and to offer a viable alternative to SO2 which could be instantly adopted by the industry with a special benefit to growers of organic grapes.