Prusky, D., Department of Postharvest Science of Fresh Produce, Volcani Center, 50250 Bet Dagan, Israel
Shalom, Y., Department of Postharvest Science of Fresh Produce, Volcani Center, 50250 Bet Dagan, Israel
Kobiler, I., Department of Postharvest Science of Fresh Produce, Volcani Center, 50250 Bet Dagan, Israel
Akerman, M., Department of Postharvest Science of Fresh Produce, Volcani Center, 50250 Bet Dagan, Israel
Fuchs, Y., Department of Postharvest Science of Fresh Produce, Volcani Center, 50250 Bet Dagan, Israel

The effectiveness of different postharvest treatments to control different levels of quiescent infections of Alternaria alternata causing Alternaria rot in mango fruits during storage was compared. A combined hot water spray and fruit brushing (hot water brushing - HWB) treatment for 15 - 20 s with 225 μg ml-1 prochloraz was the most effective treatment to control Alternaria rot in fruits with a high relative quiescent infected surface (RQIS) rating of 36 at harvest. Comparable control was obtained with the commercially used treatment of 900 μg ml-1 prochloraz spray. However Alternaria rot in mango fruits with intermediate levels of RQIS rating of 25 was controlled by HWB treatment alone or HWB with chlorine (300 μg ml -1 Troclosene Na). HWB alone was effective enough to control postharvest decay in fruits with a RQIS of 5. Present results have indicated that effectiveness of postharvest HWB and prochloraz applications, are dependent on the quiescent infected area of the fruit by A. alternata at harvest. A RQIS rating, before harvest, has resulted in the use of effective, mild, fungicides as a single postharvest treatment thus avoiding wide use of less friendly synthetic fungicides.