Abstract

CONTROL OF BLUE MOLD CAUSED BY PENICILLIUM EXPANSUM OF APPLES 'RED DELICIOUS' USING SOME MICRONUTRIENTS

Ramesh Baviskar*

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Abstract

Blue mold of apple (Penicillium expansum Link) is a serious post harvest disease in world and India. Twenty three (23) isolates of Penicillium expansum were isolated from infected apple fruits collected from various fruit markets of Maharashtra and were tested against fludioxonil on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium. Sensitivity of 23 isolates was tested using fludioxonil and MIC was determined by food poisoning technique. There are six micronutrients viz- Boron acetate, cobalt acetate, copper acetate, iron sulphate, magnesium sulphate and zinc sulphate were effective for controlling the Penicillium expansum when tested individually and in mixture with fludioxonil. In vitro copper acetate gave very fruitful PCE at 50μg/ml (55.00) and at 100μg/ml (69.23). Whereas magnesium sulphate showed lowest PCE (42.56) at 50μg/ml and zinc sulphate PCE at 100μg/ml and followed by other micronutrients individually compared with fludioxonil. PCE was highly increased with all the micronutrients against Penicillium expansum. It was observed that at 100μg/ml conc. gave very fruitful PCE value than that of 50μg/ml concentration. Copper acetate and iron sulphate gave significant PCE (60.24) and (70.15) followed by zinc sulphate, boron acetate, magnesium sulphate and cobalt acetate in decreasing PCE value. In vivo boron acetate gave effective PCE value (57.70) at 50μg/ml. Whereas cobalt acetate showed lowest PCE (47.28) while magnesium sulphate gave fruitful PCE (68.32) at 100μg/ml conc. and cobalt acetate showed least PCE value (53.66) and (63.57) at 50μg/ml and 100μg/ml concentration. Other micronutrients PCE values ranged from (58.65-61.50), (69.22-72.52) at respective concentration.

Keywords: Apple, blue mold, Penicillium expansum, fludioxonil, micronutrients.