CITRUS PACKING MACHINE

Anthracnose lesions associated with injured rind appear as brown to reddish brown or black spots that may be firm and dry, or if sufficiently advanced, the rind becomes softened. Under humid conditions, the masses of spores on the lesion surface appear pink or salmon-coloured. The disease does not spread from infected to healthy fruit in packed containers. Figure 9. Brown rot of lemon fruit with white fungal growth. 10 Control of anthracnose is obtained by pre-harvest sprays of benomyl and postharvest dips in thiabendazole or imazalil (1000 ppm active ingredient) before de-greening, and holding the fruit at 10°C to 12°C. Stem-end Rot Stem-end rot, caused by the fungi Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Phomopsis citri, is widely prevalent and results in serious losses in humid growing areas such as Guyana. Fungal spores enter ( citrus packing machine), ( Orangepacking machine ), ( lemon packing machine ) , ( apple packing machine ), (  grapefruit packing machine ), ( mandarinpacking machine ), ( citrus sorting machine ), ( citrus grading machine ) , ( orangegrading machine ), ( lemon grading  machine ), ( apple grading machine ), ( grapefruit grading  machine ) , ( mandarin grading machine ), ( orange sorting machine ),( lemon sorting machine ), ( applesorting machine ), ( grapefruit sorting machine ), ( mandarin sorting machine ) calyx tissues or lodge beneath the calyx at the time of flowering and remain dormant until the fruits are harvested. Symptoms appear as water-soaked spots near the stem end of the fruit, which generally turn light to dark brown. The brownish decay proceeds down the rind of the fruit. In the case of Lasiodiplodia, the advancing margin of the rot progresses in lobes or a finger-like pattern. The advancing margin of Phomopsis stem-end rot progresses evenly. Decayed tissue is initially firm, but later becomes wet and mushy and gives off a sour, fermented odour. The decay does not spread from infected to healthy fruit in packed containers. Control of stem-end rot is obtained by pre-harvest fungicide sprays, postharvest application of imazalil (1000 ppm), and storage at 10°C. Also, a postharvest application of 2,4-D (500 ppm) helps control stem-end rot by delaying button abscission. Susceptibility to stem-end rot increases with increasing age of the fruit at harvest. Sour Rot Sour rot, caused by the fungus Geotrichum citri-aurantii, is the most objectionable and unpleasant of all the lemon decays. The organism invades the rind through injuries made by insects, mechanical injury, or other pathogens. Ripe or over-mature fruit are more susceptible to sour rot than green or immature fruit. The disease is also more severe during and after prolonged wet seasons. It is especially problematic on lemons that have been stored for long periods. Sour rot is frequently associated with green and blue mould infections. The initial symptoms of sour rot are similar to those of the Penicillium moulds. Highly active extra-cellular enzymes produced by the sour rot fungus degrade the rind, segment walls, and juice vesicles, causing the fruit to disintegrate into a slimy, watery mass (Figure 10). Under high RH, the lesion may be covered with a yeasty, sometimes wrinkled layer of white or cream-coloured fungal growth. The fungus requires a high water content of the peel and storage at a high RH. The sour odour associated with advanced stages of disease development attracts fruit flies, which can spread the fungus to infect other injured fruit. Figure 10. Sour rot of lemons. 11 Postharvest treatment with sodium o-phenylphenate provides some control of sour rot. Immediate storage of lemon fruit at 10°C also will delay disease development. The benzimidazole fungicides are not effective against sour rot. Cottony Rot Cottony ( citrus packing machine), ( Orange packing machine ), ( lemon packing machine ) , ( apple packing machine ), (  grapefruit packing machine ), ( mandarin packing machine ), ( citrus sorting machine ), ( citrus grading machine ) , ( orange grading machine ), ( lemon grading  machine ), ( apple grading  machine ), ( grapefruit grading  machine ) , ( mandarin grading  machine ), ( orange sorting machine ),( lemon sorting machine ), ( apple sorting machine ), ( grapefruit sorting machine ), ( mandarin sorting machine ) rot, caused by the fungi Sclerotinia, is not a common postharvest citrus disease, but it can occasionally cause heavy losses of lemons.