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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #370431
Research Project: Quality, Shelf-life and Health Benefits for Fresh, Fresh-cut and Processed Products for Citrus and Other Tropical/Subtropical-grown Fruits and Vegetables

Location: Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research

Title: First report of Gilbertella persicaria causing postharvest soft rot of strawberry fruit in Florida

Author
item ZHANG, JIUXI - University Of Florida
item KOU, JINGJING - University Of Florida
item OZBUDAK, EGEM - University Of Florida
item ZHONG, TIAN - University Of Florida
item PAN, TENGFEI - University Of Florida
item Bai, Jinhe
item CANO, LILIANA - University Of Florida
item RITENOUR, MARK - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/17/2019
Publication Date: 4/20/2020
Citation: Zhang, J., Kou, J., Ozbudak, E., Zhong, T., Pan, T., Bai, J., Cano, L., Ritenour, M. 2020. First report of Gilbertella persicaria causing postharvest soft rot of strawberry fruit in Florida. Plant Disease. online. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-10-19-2081-PDN.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-10-19-2081-PDN

Interpretive Summary: Postharvest decay is one of the important factors causing strawberry losses. In this report, Gilbertella persicaria causing postharvest soft rot in strawberry was first reported. The results indicate that G. persicaria is pathogenic to strawberres and its infection is wound-mediated. The research will potentially lead to more efficient methods to control the postharvest loss of strawberries.

Technical Abstract: Fungus which caused soft rot symptoms in strawberries was isolated from the decaying fruit. The morphological and genetic experiments showed that the pathogen is Gilbertella persicaria. Fruit rot caused by G. persicaria has been reported on peach, apricot, apple and pear, tomato, papaya, dragon fruit, black plum, and eggplant. To our knowledge, this is a first report of a disease caused by G. persicaria on strawberry fruit in Florida. The further study of this new disease on strawberries is ongoing.