Assessment of Latent Infections as a Basis for Control of Postharvest Disease of Mango

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Abstract
Alternaria alternata, the causal organism of black spot disease in mango, M. indica, penetrates the fruit through lenticels. After infection in the orchard, the hyphae remain latent until postharvest ripening of the fruit, then develop intercellularly. Assessment of the latent infections during fruit growth indicated a continuous increase in infected surface from fruit set until harvest. Protectant fungicide sprays begun after fruit set decreased the latent infected surface by 46%, resulting in a significant reduction of 37% in the incidence of black spot disease during storage. A significant correlation coefficient of 0.92 (P < 0.05) was obtained between the latent infected surface of mature mango fruits by Alternaria in the field and the incidence of black spot disease in storage. The possibility of using preharvest assessment of latent infections as a basis for a control program of postharvest treatments is indicated.

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