Evaluation of conventional fungicides, heat treatment and safe compounds in hot solutions for the control of postharvest diseases of melons.

摘要

A number of methods were evaluated as effective and environmentally safe postharvest treatments for the control of postharvest diseases of cantaloupe (or rockmelon) and honeydew melons. Compounds that are widely used as food additives or generally recognised as safe (GRAS) did not give equivalent reduction of rots compared to commercial fungicides. However, dipping melons in heated solutions considerably increased the efficacy of sodium molybdate at 24.2 mM, chlorine at 100 ppm and iodine at 30 ppm against Fusarium rots on melons. Unfortunately, ammonium molybdate and sodium molybdate produced some phytotoxic effects on honeydew melons both at room temperature and in hot solutions. Hot water dipping of melons at 55 degrees C for 3 min or at 60 degrees C for 1 min greatly reduced storage rots of melons. Dips of 1 min to 3 min showed significant reductions of storage rots in the temperature range of 55-60 degrees C. Further tests with iodine at 30 ppm in hot solution showed substantial reduction of Fusarium rot of melons at 55 degrees C compared to both iodine and hot water individually. Thus, hot water treatment at or above 55 degrees C with iodine at a concentration of 30 ppm could provide an alternative safe treatment for control of postharvest storage diseases of melons..