Antifungal effect of gamma irradiation and sodium dichloroisocyanurate against Penicillium expansum on pears

Abstract

Gamma irradiation (GI) was evaluated for its in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity against Penicillium expansum on pear fruits. GI showed a complete inhibition of spore germination, germ tube elongation and mycelial of P. expansum, especially 1.8 kGy. GI affected the membrane integrity and cellular leakage of conidia in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the leakage of protein and sugar from mycelia increased along with the dose. GI was evaluated at lower doses in combination with a chlorine donor, sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione (NaDCC), to examine the inhibition of P. expansum. Interestingly, only a combined treatment with 0.2 kGy of GI and 70 ppm of NaDCC exhibited significant synergistic antifungal activity. The mechanisms by which the combined treatment decreased the blue mould decay of pear fruits could directly associated with the disruption of the cell membrane of the fungal pathogen, resulting in a loss of cytoplasmic materials from the hyphae.