Preharvest application with calcium and maturity at harvest affects postharvest fungal fruit decay of European plum

Abstract The combination of preharvest treatments with calcium chloride and fungicides, storage maturity graded fruit were assessed in five European plum cultivars. At harvest, samples within a commercially suitable range ripening divided into two categories: less-ripe (tree ripe-) more-ripe ripe+). stored for 10–14 days at 4 °C followed by 2–3 20 before the assessment fungal decay. If was applied six times each season, postharvest decay significantly reduced four nine experiments, total mean reduction around 50%. Two applications fungicide treatment approx. 60% compared to untreated one experiment. In seven experiments there no effect applications. 10 category tree ripe- had fewer after than ripe+fruit. higher incidence ripe+fruit primarily due brown rot, Mucor blue mould. For ripe+, ten more on simulated shelf-life period. To ensure low decay, commercial harvest may thus be separated categories, rapid distribution market ripe+) another extended time ripe-).