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Effects of potassium sorbate on postharvest brown rot of stone fruit

R Gregori1, F Borsetti, F Neri

  • 1Centro per la Protezione e Conservazione dei Prodotti Ortofrutticoli, University of Bologna, Via Gandolfi 19, 40057 Cadriano, Bologna, Italy.

Journal of Food Protection
|August 30, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Potassium sorbate effectively controls brown rot in peaches and nectarines by inhibiting fungal growth. This low-toxicity compound also reduces key enzyme activity, offering a promising solution for fruit preservation.

Area of Science:

  • Agricultural Science
  • Plant Pathology
  • Food Science

Background:

  • Monilinia spp. cause significant post-harvest losses in stone fruits like peaches and nectarines.
  • Effective and low-toxicity control agents are needed to manage brown rot disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the efficacy of potassium sorbate (K-sorb) in controlling Monilinia spp. in peaches and nectarines.
  • To elucidate the potential mechanism of action of K-sorb, focusing on polygalacturonase (PG) inhibition.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for fungal germination and growth.
  • Post-harvest fruit immersion trials with K-sorb solutions.
  • Assessment of fruit quality parameters (firmness, ripeness).
  • Enzymatic assays (radial diffusion, spectrophotometry) to evaluate PG activity inhibition.

Main Results:

  • K-sorb demonstrated significant reduction (over 80%) in brown rot incidence in treated fruits.
  • Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for conidial germination and mycelial growth were established.
  • K-sorb treatment led to a reduction in fruit firmness but maintained acceptable quality.
  • K-sorb significantly inhibited polygalacturonase (PG) activity of Monilinia laxa.

Conclusions:

  • Potassium sorbate is a viable, low-toxicity antifungal agent for controlling Monilinia spp. on peaches and nectarines.
  • The antifungal efficacy of K-sorb is likely linked to its ability to inhibit PG activity in M. laxa.

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