Impact of Ozonated Water on Brown Rot Development and Storage Potential of Nectarine and Plum

ABSTRACT Postharvest fruit rot is one of the most serious diseases of fleshy stone fruits such as nectarine and plum. The efficacy of ozonated water sprayed in different doses in a packing line [low dose, 1.5 ppm ozone (Ο3) for 100 sec; medium dose, 3.0 ppm Ο3 for 100 sec; high dose, 1.5 ppm Ο3 for 400 sec] in controlling the brown rot (Monilinia fructicola) development was studied in the nectarine cultivar ‘Τasty Free’ and the plum cultivar ‘Angelino.’ Changes in flesh firmness, ripening index, ethylene and respiration rate, and peel color during storage (0℃ for 3 weeks) and shelf-life (20℃ for 4 days) were used as ‘indicator’ quality parameter responses in storage and shelf-life. The most efficient dose of O3 in controlling the Monilinia infection was the highest applied, followed by the middle O3 dose. The efficacy of O3 treatments was higher when a lower Monilinia spore concentration was applied. The O3 doses applied did not cause any visible symptoms of O3 toxicity, yet they caused an acceleration in the fruit ripening process, suggested mainly by an increase in the fruit respiration rate in both nectarine and plum, and an increase in the ripening index and darker peel coloration only in plums. In conclusion, spraying with ozonated water is an eco-friendly and efficient sanitizing agent, but in fleshy commodities such as nectarine and plum may diminish their postharvest performance.