Morphological and molecular identification of the causal agents of post-harvest diseases in avocado fruit, and potential biocontrol with <i>Meyerozyma caribbica</i>

Abstract

This study was made to identify the fungi associated with post-harvest decay in avocado fruit from Xalisco city in Nayarit state and to determine their potential biocontrol with Meyerozyma caribbica. The eight isolated fungi were identified as six Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, one Colletotrichum sp., and one Fusarium sp. through morphological characteristics and sequencing the D1/D2 region of the large-subunit rDNA gene. Koch’s postulates were fulfilled by pathogenicity tests carried out on avocado fruit; obtaining different severity disease degrees. The yeasts’ potential to control avocado diseases has been poorly studied. Therefore, the use of M. caribbica against the isolated fungi was proposed, the inhibition reached was above 78%. Hence, can be considered as a potential biocontrol agent to be applied in avocado fruit in the post-harvest stage. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Fusarium sp. as a causal agent of stem-end root in avocado fruit in Mexico.