Control of Sphaeropsis Rot in Stored Apple Fruit Caused by Sphaeropsis pyriputrescens with Postharvest Fungicides

Abstract Sphaeropsis rot caused by Sphaeropsis pyriputrescens is a recently reported postharvest fruit rot disease of apple grown in Washington State. The objective of this study was to develop chemical-based mitigation measures for Sphaeropsis rot in stored apple fruit. To determine in vitro sensitivity of S. pyriputrescens to the three registered postharvest fungicides thiabendazole, fludioxonil, and pyrimethanil, 30 isolates of S. pyriputrescens obtained from various sources were tested for mycelial growth and conidial germination on fungicide-amended media. Golden Delicious apple fruit were inoculated with the pathogen in the orchard at 2 or 5 weeks before harvest. After harvest, fruit were either nontreated or dipped in thiabendazole, fludioxonil, or pyrimethanil solutions, stored at 0°C, and monitored for decay development for up to 9 months after harvest. The mean effective concentration of a fungicide that inhibits mycelial growth or spore germination by 50% relative to the nonamended control (EC5...