Causal organism – Aspergillus awamori
Symptoms:
- This is a post-harvest disease that occurs when fruits are mishandled during harvesting.
- Bruised or damaged fruits are infected by Aspergillus spp., causing the pulp to become soft and emit a foul smell.
- In severe cases, the outer shell softens and rots.
- Cracking in fallen fruits during harvesting is common. Fruits may appear undamaged externally but show internal rot, causing major losses during storage.
- The inner pulp develops black fungal growth, rendering the fruit unfit for consumption.
Management-
| Cultural Method | Chemical Control |
| To avoid the disease, proper care should be taken during harvesting handling and transportation.It is better to wrap the fruits with phenol paper/newspaper and to line the containers with newspaper. Bamboo stick baskets and plastic crates are better for transport purposes. It is also suggested to ensure proper ventilation and daily inspection of the storage container | The pre-harvest spray of Carbendazim 50% WP @ 2g/L water. Avoiding bruises to the pericarp during picking, storage, and transport are suggested to manage the disease |
