Yeasts for biological control of postharvest pears pathogens in Patagonia, Argentina

LUTZ, C.; SOSA, C.; LOPES, C.A.; SANGORRIN, M.P.

Guadalajara

Congreso; International Specialized Symposium on Yeasts 2011, ISSY 29; 2011

The main pear growing area is situated in Rio Negro and Neuquén, Patagonia Argentina. Most postharvest disease in pear fruits initiated at wounds that occur during harvest or packing. Subsequent infection occurs at the wound by one of several pathogens (Spotts, et all 1998). Penicillium expansum and Botrytis cinerea (causal agents of blue mold and gray mold) are the most aggressive. Yeasts are suitable as biocontrol agents as they grow and colonize rapidly the surface and microwounds. The objectives of this work were to isolate and to select antagonistic yeasts originated from pear fruit surface and wounds. The selection strategies used in this work for the first time involves the isolation of BCAs from washing fluids with biocontrol activity against P. expansum, originally obtained from fruit wounds, after long time storage at -1/0ºC.