Inducers of resistance to Botrytis cinerea in postharvest strawberry fruits

Abstract

Strawberry is a high economic value crop, which in postharvest is highly susceptible to the attack of the pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea; for its control, one of the most used methods are pesticides; however, exposure to these remains an important health and environmental problem. In this sense, the need to seek alternatives for sustainable management arises. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the effect of salicylic and ascorbic acids as inducers of resistance to Botrytis cinerea in post-harvest strawberry fruits. Strawberry plants (Fragaria x ananassa Duch cv. Camarosa) were used twice weekly with solutions of salicylic acid, ascorbic acid and water as a control. The results showed significant differences in salicylic acid at a concentration of 1.5 μM, with less than 1 % damage in the fruits, despite not inhibiting the appearance of the fungus, delaying its appearance, besides increasing the yield so that it can represent an alternative to the use of pesticides.