Document Type : Original Article
Authors
- Senthilkumar Shricharan
- Akshay Ramaswamy Deenadayalan
- Bhavesh Vadher
- Kumar J Hemanth
- Arghyadeep Ashok Bhattacharjee
Velabs Research & Development Division, Vegrow, Sector 4, HSR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India - 560102
Abstract
Purpose: Pomegranate is of considerable economic significance, with Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat serving as the primary cultivation regions. Despite the high production levels, postharvest losses are serious, with certain fruits experiencing fruit cracking, fungal infections, and poor handling during transportation, resulting in postharvest losses of up to 35%. For controlling postharvest infections in a variety of fruits and vegetables, synthetic fungicides are incredibly effective. Research Method: VeSolution is a GRAS salt-based formulation with antimicrobial properties developed to assess its efficacy in minimizing fruit rotting. Therefore, the present investigation examined the effectiveness of VeSolution in reducing these postharvest losses. The infected fruits were used to isolate and identify fungal pathogens. Subsequently, the antifungal efficacy of the VeSolution formulation was assessed by both in vitro and in vivo methodologies. The in vitro investigations entailed evaluating the formulation's inhibitory effects on mycelial growth of identified fungal pathogens on PDA plates. In the in vivo evaluation, artificially inoculated pomegranate fruits were subjected to VeSolution treatment to test their effectiveness in mitigating rot advancement. Finally, VeSolution-treated pomegranates were exposed to supply chain conditions to assess their practical efficacy. Critical parameters, including rot advancement, in-transit spoiling, and fruit quality were assessed. Findings: Aspergillus sp., Alternaria sp., and Coinella sp. were identified as fungi associated with pomegranate fruit rotting. The results indicated that the growth of the fungal colony was substantially inhibited by the 2% and 5% concentrations of VeSolution. The fruit rot development and progression were effectively restricted by the 2% VeSolution, as confirmed by in vivo assessments. Subsequent pilot and large-scale trials demonstrated that 1% VeSolution substantially reduced rot during longer (> 24 h) transportation periods. Research limitations: There were no limitations. Originality/Value: These results emphasise VeSolution as a viable and non-toxic alternative to conventional synthetic fungicides for maintaining the postharvest quality of pomegranates.
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