Impact of Ozonated Water on Brown Rot Development and Storage Potential of Nectarine and Plum

ABSTRACT

Postharvest fruit rot is one of the most serious diseases of fleshy stone fruits such as nectarine and plum. The efficacy of ozonated water sprayed in different doses in a packing line [low dose, 1.5 ppm ozone (Ο₃) for 100 sec; medium dose, 3.0 ppm Ο₃ for 100 sec; high dose, 1.5 ppm Ο₃ for 400 sec] in controlling the brown rot (Monilinia fructicola) development was studied in the nectarine cultivar ‘Τasty Free’ and the plum cultivar ‘Angelino.’ Changes in flesh firmness, ripening index, ethylene and respiration rate, and peel color during storage (0℃ for 3 weeks) and shelf-life (20℃ for 4 days) were used as ‘indicator’ quality parameter responses in storage and shelf-life. The most efficient dose of O₃ in controlling the Monilinia infection was the highest applied, followed by the middle O₃ dose. The efficacy of O₃ treatments was higher when a lower Monilinia spore concentration was applied. The O₃ doses applied did not cause any visible symptoms of O₃ toxicity, yet they caused an acceleration in the fruit ripening process, suggested mainly by an increase in the fruit respiration rate in both nectarine and plum, and an increase in the ripening index and darker peel coloration only in plums. In conclusion, spraying with ozonated water is an eco-friendly and efficient sanitizing agent, but in fleshy commodities such as nectarine and plum may diminish their postharvest performance.

KEYWORDS:

• Disinfection
• Fungal disease
• Monilinia fructicola
• Postharvest
• Prunus persica
• Prunus salicina

Acknowledgments

To ‘Venus Growers’ cooperative for providing the structure for carrying out the experiment and Mr Ioannis Petsas for technical assistance at the cooperative facilities.

Author contributions

Drogoudi P., Pantelidis G., and Thomidis T. designed the experiment and was involved in all stages of experimentation; Drogoudi P. did the statistical analysis and wrote the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

This manuscript does not present any kind of conflict of interest.