Factors Affecting Dispersal ofMucor piriformisin Pear Orchards and into the Packinghouse

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Mucor piriformis is one of the major causes of postharvest decay of pear fruit in the Pacific Northwest. Propagules of M. piriformis numbering 6-3,381/g of dry soil were found in soils collected from five pear orchards 1 mo before harvest; however, M. piriformis was absent in samples of leaf, fruit, and air collected during harvest. At harvest 2.5-5% of decayed fruits on the orchard floor were infected with M. piriformis. Two months later, fallen fruits decayed by M. piriformis increased to 23-50%, and propagules of M. piriformis in the soil increased to 365-6,832/g of dry soil. Soil adhering on the picking bins had 1,042-8,333 fungal propagules per gram of dry soil and may serve as an inoculum source of postharvest infections of pear fruits.