Phacidiopycnis pyri causing Phacidiopycnis rot on pear fruit in Argentina

Abstract

Previously unknown postharvest rots in Packham’s Triumph pear were detected in a batch of long-term cold-stored fruit during 2022 in North Patagonia, Argentina. Rots were characterized according to their symptoms and the causal agent was isolated and identified through cultural and molecular methods. Pathogenicity tests were performed on different pear cultivars both at 20 °C and under storage conditions (0 °C − 95% RH). Koch’s postulates were fulfilled by re-isolation of the pathogen. Our results indicated that Phacidiopycnis pyri was the causal agent of postharvest rot in the fruit examined. This would constitute the first report of P. pyri as a causal agent of postharvest decay in Argentina.