Integrated management of causal agents of postharvest fruit rot of apple

One of the major causes of poor quality and fruit loss (during storage and transport) are diseases caused by phytopathogenic fungi. Economic losses which are the consequence of the phytopathogenic fungus activity after harvest exceed the losses in the field. The most important postharvest fungal pathogens of apple fruits are: Botrytis cinerea Pers. ex Fr., Penicillium expansum (Lk.) Thom., Cryptosporiopsis curvispora (Peck.) Grem., Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Sacc., Monilinia sp., Gloeosporium album Osterw, Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler, Cladosporium herbarium Link., Cylindrocarpon mali (Alles.) Wollenw., Stemphylium botryosum Wallr. The use of available protection technologies can significantly reduce losses caused by pathogens in storage. The concept of integrated pest management (IPM) in apple fruits i.e. sustainable approach in control of causal agents of postharvest fruit rot, using cultural, physical, biological and chemical measures, to minimize economic, health and risks to consumers and environment, is presented in the paper.