Influence on the pathogen agents of some ecologic treatments applied during storage to the apple fruits

Abstract

The research approaches the problem of pathological and nonpathological degradation that occurs during storage, in apple fruit, with the goal of finding ecological solutions to limit the losses that occur. The methods of prevention, which include post-harvest treatments with bioactive substances of natural origin, constitute a modern-day tendency, which is studied in all countries with an advanced horticulture. From a phytopathological perspective, the major cause of the warehouse disease, including in apple fruit, is the technology applied on the tree plantation, but also the year-specific climatic conditions. The treatemnts were effectuated by fine pulverization on the apple surface using a crude suspension of volatile oil from savory and swet basil, respectvely dispersed with a special pump of Sapanish manufacturing. Suspensions containing about 60% volatile oils were freshly extracted from savory and sweet basil by the method of distillation through water vapors stimulation. To highlight the pathogen microflora of the apple fruits we examined them carefully using a manual magnifying glass and wrote down the data necessary to calculate the frequency of the attack, the intensity of the attack as well as the level of damage or attack. The statistic calculation pursued the underlining of differences between the intensity of attack of the pathogen agents encountered on the untreated fruits as against the variants treated demonstrating the level of effectiveness of each treatment variant. The volatile oils had the best effects in reducing the intensity of attack – the percentage to which a fruit is attacked. The fruit losses due to the diseases in the storehouse may be reduced significantly by applying these treatments