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Control of citrus green and blue molds by Chinese propolis

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Abstract

Green and blue molds, caused by Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum, respectively, are economically important postharvest diseases of citrus fruits. In this study, Chinese propolis ethyl acetate extract (PEAE) was evaluated to control P. digitatum and P. italicum on postharvest citrus fruits. The results indicated PEAE strongly inhibited mycelia growth and induced hyphae prominent abnormal morphological alterations. Also, PEAE had strong detrimental effect on spore germination of the tested pathogens in a concentrationdependent manner. For in vivo tests, PEAE could both reduce decay caused by P. digitatum and P. italicum respectively in wound-inoculated fruit and naturally infected fruit; meanwhile, no negative influences on the overall quality of the citrus fruits were observed with PEAE treatment. Therefore, PEAE could be used as a natural antifungal agent to control citrus blue and green mold.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science Laboratory, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China

    Shuzhen Yang, Litao Peng & Siyi Pan

  2. College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China

    Yunjiang Cheng

  3. Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA

    Feng Chen

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  1. Shuzhen Yang
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  2. Litao Peng
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  3. Yunjiang Cheng
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  4. Feng Chen
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  5. Siyi Pan
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Correspondence to Siyi Pan.

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Yang, S., Peng, L., Cheng, Y. et al. Control of citrus green and blue molds by Chinese propolis. Food Sci Biotechnol 19, 1303–1308 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-010-0186-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-010-0186-8

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