skip to Main Content
Sa Fruit Journal Aug Sept 2021 Vineyard
August / September 2021

A disease risk monitoring tool for the Table Grape Industry

SA Fruit Journal: August / September 2021

The occurrence of pre-harvest decay on table grapes affects yield and the subsequent development of postharvest decay during storage. Bunch rot of table grapes is associated with Botrytis cinerea, Aspergillus niger, as well as Cladosporium, Rhizopus, Penicillium and Alternaria spp. among other pathogens (Sonker et al., 2016). By Dr Pieter Louw and Dr Johan Fourie

Disease complexes like soft-tissue breakdown (STB), which include acetic acid bacteria and yeasts, can also contribute towards decay.

The risk of decay fluctuates throughout the table grape season. High-risk periods can be expected when environmental conditions favour infection and colonisation of pathogens, the inoculum/spore loads of pathogens are moderate to high and the fruit are at a susceptible phenological stage. Phenological stages that can be regarded as high risk include flowering and grape berry ripening (McClellan et al., 1973). Risk of decay is further increased if fruit is wounded.

Read More
Back To Top