OUTBREAK OF ANTHRACNOSE AND STEM END ROT DISEASES OF MANGO IN CHANGING CLIMTE AND THEIR MANAGEMENT THROUGH HOT WATER TREATMENT

Abstract

Pakistan is the 6^th largest producer of mangoes which are known world over for their superior traits but export of mangoes from Pakistan is quite limited due to post-harvest diseases like anthracnose and stem-end rot (SER) mainly caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Lasiodiplodia theobromae, respectively. These diseases are aggravating day by day due to environmental changes in mango producing region of Pakistan. Quarantine of mangoes through physical methods like Hot Water Treatment (HWT) is always preferred by the foreign markets because of its high effectiveness in reducing the post-harvest diseases. During 2012-13, keeping in view the importance of HWT, a comprehensive study was conducted to standardize the temperature and dip duration levels for HWT along with a fungicide named Nativo (Trifloxystrobin + Tebuconazole) @ 0.3g/L of water for mango Cvs. Sindhri, S.B. Chaunsa, Fajri and Sufaid Chaunsa using newly developed HWT facility at Agricultural Mechanization Research Institute, Multan for the control of post-harvest diseases with a little focus on other fruit quality parameters as well. HWT resulted in better marketability of fruits due to uniform peel color development and visual quality rating (VQR). Control of (SER) with either of both high levels of temperature (54°C) and dip duration (06minutes) simultaneously or any of one high level along was noted in all the tested varieties with 77.27 to 85.26% disease reduction in contrast to control of anthracnose which was effectively minimized with the range of 77.24 to 90.36% through low temperature (52°C) and low dip level (03minutes) in case of Sindhri and S.B. Chaunsa while 52°C for 06 minutes and 54°C for 06 minutes showed good performance in case of Cvs. Fajri and Sufaid Chaunsa, respectively. Surely, this study developed the understanding of mango industry stake holders with efficient use of safe and cheaper physical method i.e. HWT to control post-harvest diseases to enhance the mango export from Pakistan.