Mode of infection and cross-inoculation studies of fungal rot pathogens inflicting post-harvest losses in citrus fruits Verma V. S. Dryland Research Sub Station, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Dhiansar, Bari Brahmana, Jammu-181133 (J&K) Online published on 5 December, 2011. Abstract In a year round market study, it was observed that fruit rottage in citrus comprised of spoilage due to biotic and abiotic losses. The sizeable volume of fruit spoilage was due to fungal pathogens. Among the predominant fungal pathogens of mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata), kinnow mandarin and acid lime (C. aurantifolia) fruits were Penicillium digitatum, P. italicum and Aspergillus niger inflicting green, blue and black mold rots, respectively. Wounded orange, kinnow and acid lime fruits, when inoculated with these rot pathogens developed green, blue and black mold rots whereas unwounded inoculated as well as uninoculated fruits, protected under disinfected glass beakers in the laboratory, remained healthy. All the rot causing fungal pathogens were wound parasites. All the three fungal pathogens isolated from orange, kinnow and acid lime were found to be cross-pathogenic on one another upon wound-inoculations. The abiotic spoilage was inflicted by chilling/freezing and different types of mechanical injuries during transportation and storage. Some abiotic factors, such as scald and water injury caused wounds which ultimately developed fungal rots leading to fruit spoilage, thus indirectly responsibly for biotic losses. Top Keywords Citrus, orange, kinnow, acid lime, post-harvest rot, mode of infection, host range. Top |