First report of Geotrichum candidum causing post-harvest rot of Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana) & Guava (Psidium guajava) from Pakistan

Abstract

The current research involved the isolation of fungal species from spoiled fruit samples gathered from markets in Chichawatni. The method used for isolating filamentous fungi from infected parts of the fruits involved culturing on a Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium following surface sterilization. The isolated fungal species were found belonging to the Geotrichum genus based on morpho-anatomical analysis. This study was aimed to isolate, characterize and identify the filamentous fungi associated with post-harvest spoilage of ber and guava being sold in Chichawatni. Findings of this work could lead to the development and recommendation of appropriate strategies for post-harvest disease control