Abstract
ABSTRACT Peach brown rot, caused by the Monilinia fructicola fungus, is the main disease affecting peach crops, and it is mainly controlled via frequent fungicide applications. This study aimed at searching for alternatives to the intensive use of chemicals, evaluating silicon doses to control pre and postharvest peach brown rot and their influence on maturation parameters and fruit quality. Treatments consisted of control (water) and sodium metasilicate doses (2 g L-1, 4 g L-1, 6 g L-1, 8 g L-1 and 10 g L-1 of water). The following assessments were made: spore germination and in vitro mycelial growth, brown rot incidence, soluble solids, titratable acidity, flesh firmness, total polyphenol content and fruit ethylene production and respiration rate. The 2 g L-1 dose reduced spore germination by 95 %. Doses of 6 g L-1 and 8 g L-1 satisfactorily reduced the disease incidence in the field, with 77 % and 89.2 % control, respectively. Sodium metasilicate resulted in the maintenance of great fruit firmness, reduced respiration and ethylene production and increased total polyphenol synthesis, but it did not influence the titratable acidity or soluble solids. Applying 6 g L-1 may potentially control pre and postharvest peach brown rot, besides increasing the total polyphenol synthesis and maintaining a higher flesh firmness.
Highlights
Brown rot, caused by the Monilinia fructicola
6 mm-wide culture disks of M. fructicola mycelium removed from cultures with 168 h of growth were deposited in the center of 10 Petri dishes per treatment, with potato-dextrose-agar medium, containing sodium metasilicate (0 g L-1, 2 g L-1, 4 g L-1, 6 g L-1, 8 g L-1 and 10 g L-1), and incubated (BOD 25oC) for a photoperiod of 12 h
Similar results were obtained with calcium silicate (Biggs et al 1997, Yang et al 2010) and sodium metasilicate (Quin & Tian 2005, Nascimento et al 2014), which significantly inhibited spore germination at a dose of 2 g L-1 or higher
Summary
Brown rot, caused by the Monilinia fructicola Wint.) Honey fungus, is the major cause of pre and postharvest losses in peach crops (Prunus persica). The disease damages flowers and fruits, compromising the orchard, in addition to impacting storage, transport and commercialization (Larena et al 2005, Villarino et al 2012). Its chemical control is widely used by fruit growers. Studies conducted on the efficiency of a number of active ingredients to control brown rot have obtained satisfactory results for difenoconazole, iprodione, tebuconazole, iminoctadine and propiconazole (Moreira & May-de Mio 2009, Pavanello et al 2015). At least three preharvest fungicide applications are necessary to control it
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