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Effects of calcium on biocontrol activity of yeast antagonists against the postharvest fungal pathogen Rhizopus stolonifer
Author(s) -
Tian S. P.,
Fan Q.,
Xu Y.,
Jiang A. L.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
plant pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.928
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1365-3059
pISSN - 0032-0862
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3059.2002.00711.x
Subject(s) - germ tube , biology , pathogen , yeast , spore germination , postharvest , spore , microbiology and biotechnology , calcium , rhizopus , germination , mycelium , in vitro , biological pest control , horticulture , botany , food science , biochemistry , chemistry , fermentation , organic chemistry
Calcium chloride (2% w/v) significantly inhibited the growth of the pathogen Rhizopus stolonifer , but did not affect the colony‐forming units (CFU) of yeasts Candida guilliermondii and Pichia membranefaciens in potato dextrose broth. The concentration of yeast suspension influenced spore germination and germ tube growth of R. stolonifer in vitro, as well as disease incidence and lesion development in fruits. There were significant negative relationships between the suspension concentrations of the yeasts and the growth as well as infectivity of the pathogen. The addition of calcium resulted in lower spore germination rates and slower growth of germ tubes in vitro , as well as in lower disease incidences and smaller lesion diameters compared with treatments with yeast antagonists alone. When yeast cell suspensions reached a concentration of 5 × 10 8 CFU mL −1 , growth of the pathogen was completely limited in vitro , and no infection was found in peach and nectarine fruits treated with or without calcium.