Possibility for fungicidal control of kiwifruit fungal storage rots

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Abstract
The shelf life of cool-stored kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis Planch.) can be reduced by fungal rots which appear after the fruit is removed from storage. The activity of 3 fungicides, benomyl, captafol, and mancozeb was tested against spore germination and hyphal growth of decay fungi, Phoma sp., Glomerella (Colletotrichum) sp., and Diaporthe (Phomopsis) sp., commonly isolated from rotting kiwifruit. ED50 values for inhibition of spore germination were 5 μg/ml-100 μg/ml for benomyl, 50 values for inhibition of hyphal growth were 100 μg/ml, for benomyl, captafol, and mancozeb respectively. A spray programme with captafol (150 g/100 litre) applied at 2-weekly intervals from blossom improved the shelf life, compared with unsprayed fruit, of kiwifruit stored for 21 weeks at 0–1°C and then held at room temperature (18–22°C) for 4 weeks. The proportion of fruit affected by rots during 5 weeks at ambient temperature increased as the period of storage at 0–1°C lengthened from 11 weeks to 27 weeks.