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PREVALENCE OF POST-HARVEST ROT OF VEGETABLES AND FRUITS IN KARACHI, PAKISTAN

NAUREEN FATIMA¹, HUMAIRA BATOOL¹, VIQAR SULTANA², JEHAN ARA³ AND SYED EHTESHAMUL-HAQUE¹

Abstract: Post-harvest diseases caused by bacteria, yeast and fungi develops on fruits and other plant products between harvesting and consumption. The threat of post-harvest disease influences the way most horticultural crops are handled. Therefore the accurate identification of the causal pathogen is essential before appropriate treatment can be made to control the pathogens. In the present study a number of fungi viz., Alternaria alternata, A. citri, Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Aspergillus sp., Cladosporium cladosporioides, Drechslera australeinsis, Fusarium solani, Fusarium sp., Geotrichum candidum, Penicillium spp., Phytophthora capsici and Rhizopus stolonifer  responsible for post-harvest deterioration of fresh fruits and vegetables were isolated and identified.

¹Agricultural Biotechnology & Phytopathology Laboratory, Department of Botany,

²Biotechnology & Drug Development Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry,

³Post-harvest Technology Laboratory, Department of Food Science & Technology, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan