Springer Post-harvest Pathology: Plant Pathology in the 21st Century, Contributions to the 10th International Congress, ICPP 2013: 7

This collection of papers includes some of the presentation given at the International congress of Plant Pathology held in Beijing in 2013 in the session of Recent Development in Postharvest Pathology. Fruit production for human consumption is an important part of the market economy. Any waste during to spoilage and pest infestation, in the field and the postharvest phase, results in significant economic losses which are more pronounced as the losses occur closer to the time of produce sale. Careful handling of perishable produce is needed for the prevention of postharvest diseases at different stages during harvesting. Handling, transport and storage in order to preserve the high quality produce. The extent of postharvest losses varies markedly depending on the commodities and country estimated to range between 4 and 8% in countries where postharvest refrigeration facilities are well developed to 30% where facilities are minimal. Microbial decay is one of the main factors that determine losses compromising the quality of the fresh produce. For the development of an integrated approach for decay management, cultural, preharvest, harvest and postharvest practices should be regarded as essential components that influence the complex interactions between host, pathogen, and environmental conditions. Orchards practices including preharvest fungicide applications can also directly reduce the development of postharvest fruit decay. Among postharvest practices, postharvest fruit treatments with fungicide are the most effective means to reduce decay. Ideally, these fungicides protect the fruit from infections that occur before treatment, including pathogen causing quiescent infections, as well from infection that are initiated after treatment during postharvest handling, shipment and marketing. The implementation of these alternatives techniques often requires modifying currently used postharvest practices and development of new formulation for their applications. The present chapters deal with the newest report related to postharvest pathology in the world. From the Back Cover As a collection of papers that includes material present at the 2013 International Congress for Plant Pathology, this text features research right at the leading edge of the field. The findings are crucial in their implications for fruit production; an important marker sector where in some areas up to 50 percent of the crop can be lost after harvest.  While postharvest fruit treatments with fungicides are the most effective means to reduce decay, rising concerns about toxicity and resistance. This has led to the development of alternative approaches for disease control, including biological control methods, the subject of some of the chapters of this book. With several new techniques requiring modification of the current postharvest practices, it is more important than ever to test new approaches as radio frequency and essential oils. Other chapters deal with the mechanism of host fruit and vegetable resistance and host response, fungal pathogenicity factors and their relationship with the host response. Special attention was given to the mechanism of pH regulation of pathogenicity by postharvest pathogens. About the Author