Abstract
Hitherto unreported post harvest diseases of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) from Himachal Pradesh.
Abstract
Studies were carried out to record the relative occurrence of different postharvest diseases of kiwifruit (A. deliciosa) in storage in Himachal Pradesh, India. Data on incidence of postharvest rots were recorded periodically and overall incidence for each associated pathogen was calculated 45 days after storage. Diseased kiwifruits initially exhibited small, necrotic spots with varying degree of mycelial growth and colour, mostly at the stem end portion. Four fungi, namely Botrytis cinerea, Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium herbarum and Penicillium digitatum, were identified based on morphological characteristics and pathogenicity tests. This is thought to be the first report of these fungi causing postharvest rot in kiwifruits from Himachal Pradesh.
