ARS | Publication request: Characterizing culturable microflora of nectarines: bacteria and their potential for biological control of postharvest fruit decay

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 16, 2009
Publication Date: July 1, 2009
Citation: Janisiewicz, W.J., Buyer, J.S. 2009. Characterizing culturable microflora of nectarines: bacteria and their potential for biological control of postharvest fruit decay . American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting.

Technical Abstract: Microorganisms isolated from fruit surfaces have been used to control postharvest decays of fruit. However, there is little information on microflora colonizing surfaces of fruits other than grapes, apples, and citrus. We characterized bacterial microflora on nectarine fruit surfaces during fruit development. The most frequently occurring genera were Curtobacterium (21.31 percent), followed by Pseudomonas (19.99 percent), Microbacterium (13.57 percent), Clavibacter (9.69 percent), Pantoea (6.59 percent), and Enterobacter (4.26 percent). The frequency of isolation of some bacteria e.g. major Pseudomonads, P. syringae, P. putida and P. savastonoi, or Pantoea agglomerance tended to decline as fruit developed. As Pseudomonas declined, Curtobacterium become more dominant. Time of isolation was a significant factor in the frequency of the occurrence of different bacteria indicating a succession of the genera. Some of the bacteria showed strong antagonistic activity against brown rot caused by M. fructicola after harvest and confirming the usefulness of natural microflora from fruit in developing biocontrol of postharvest diseases.