Identification and characterization of post harvest fungal pathogens of mango from domestic markets of Punjab.
Hamd Meer, Shazia Iram, Iftikhar Ahmad, Fateh F. S., Kazmi M. R.
Author Affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
International Journal of Agronomy and Plant Production 4 : 650-658
Abstract : Post-harvest diseases of mango minimize the fruit quality and cause heavy losses, thus it does not meet the required standard and it causes economic loss in international markets due to the considerable differences between export and local prices. A systematic survey was conducted during October 2011 to assess the status of major post harvest diseases of mango fruit and the loss due to these diseases in the local markets of Punjab. The data regarding prevalence, incidence and severity was collected and then pathogen was isolated by tissue segment method. General and specific media were used to isolate the fungi and then eventually, frequency of each fungus was calculated media and location wise. The present study found that anthracnose and stem end rot diseases were 100% prevalent in the markets of Punjab and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Alternaria alternata and Aspergillus niger were the fungal pathogens involved in anthracnose, stem end rot, Alternaria rot and Aspergillus rot diseases and these were major post harvest diseases that damage the mango fruit. As far as, it was also observed that malt extract agar and V-8 agar were the best media for the growth of Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides fungi. By present investigation it would be possible to study the post harvest fungal pathogens of mango for their pathogenic behavior, fungicides resistance and genetic variability and these all investigations will be very helpful for the management of post-harvest diseases of mango.