Effect of antagonistic yeast treatment on extension of wounded fruit shelf-life and avoid damage of rough harvest

Abstract EN

Fruit surface wounding caused by rough harvesting or insect attack provides many entries to mold organisms and cause loss of fruits.

Forty five yeast isolates were classified to five genera according to their morphological characteristics and they screened for antagonistic activity.

Twelve isolates represented to Candida spp.

(five); Pichia spp.

(three) ; Kluyveromyces spp.

(three); Saccharomyces spp.(one) were identified and tested against Penicillium digitatum and Rhizopus stolonifer.

The largest inhibition (%) of the tested fungi was recorded by Candida sake isolates.

Yeast application significantly decreased fruit decay severity on fruits of mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) by 15% or strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) by 24% than untreated ones.

The fungicidal effect was increased with increases of yeast concentrations.

However, there is no treatment gave completely inhibition to these mold fungi.

The best yeast concentration was 1×106 cfu /ml.

The combination of the highly concentration of C.

sake ( 1×106cfu /ml ) and 1% CaCl2 enhanced the antagonistic effect of the yeast, where they exhibited completely inhibition to P.

digitatum on mandarin fruits and R.

stolonifer on strawberry fruits after 6 days post infection.