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Effectiveness of Chemical and Thermal Treatments on Control Rhizopus stolonifer Fruit Infection Comparing Tomato Cultivars with Different Sensitivities to Cracking

Liliana Alfaro-Sifuentes, Melchor Juan, Rosalba Troncoso-Rojas, David Erick Meca, María Antonia Elorrieta and Juan Luis Valenzuela
Additional contact information
Liliana Alfaro-Sifuentes: Department of Biology & Geology, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), and CIEMBITAL, University of Almería, E-04120 Almería, Spain
Melchor Juan: Laboratory of Phytopathology, Labcolor, Coexphal, Venta el Viso, La Mojonera, E-04746 Almería, Spain
Rosalba Troncoso-Rojas: Coordinación de Tecnología de Alimentos de Origen Vegetal, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A. C., Carretera a la Victoria Km. 0.6, Apdo. Postal 1735, Hermosillo, Sonora 83304, Mexico
David Erick Meca: Estación Experimental Cajamar. Paraje Las Palmerillas 25, El Ejido, 04710 Almería, Spain
María Antonia Elorrieta: Laboratory of Phytopathology, Labcolor, Coexphal, Venta el Viso, La Mojonera, E-04746 Almería, Spain
Juan Luis Valenzuela: Department of Biology & Geology, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), and CIEMBITAL, University of Almería, E-04120 Almería, Spain

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 15, 1-14

Abstract: Tomatoes are among the most important horticultural crops; however, it is estimated that 30% of tomato yield is lost due to postharvest rot due to Rhizopus stolonifer , a fungus which requires lesions to initiate the infectious process. Tomato fruit cracking is a physiopathy which causes significant economic losses, since cracking is the door used by the fungus. In this experiment, 14 cultivars of tomato of different types were used. Fruit sampling was carried out in the middle of the crop cycle, coinciding with the peak of yield; then, the fruits were divided into two groups: one group was inoculated with Rhizopus in order to assess the effectiveness of washing, whilst the other was treated with sterile water. The fruits of each group were divided into lots to be treated with six washing treatments: dipping in hot water at 20, 40 and 60 °C for 20 s; the fruits were then sprayed with the following solutions: 0.6% of Hydrogen Peroxide 23% + Peracetic acid 15%; commercial bleach at 0.5% and 2% of Hydrogen Peroxide 50%. The control sample was not washed. The results show that there was an influence of cultivar on fruit cracking, which was strongly related with Rhizopus infection. Three cultivars were not susceptible to cracking, and therefore, were not sensitive to Rhizopus infection. The effectiveness of different washing treatments of tomato fruits depends on several factors; nonetheless, hot water treatment has been shown to be more effective than the use of chemical products such as commercial bleach or hydrogen peroxide. Another factor, the susceptibility of cultivars to cracking, determines the effectiveness of the washing treatment. The results provide an important basis for making decisions about the washing management of tomato fruits in packaging houses.

Keywords: cracking; cultivars; tomato; washing treatments (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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