Use of elicitors and fungicides for the postharvest management of Monilinia fructicola in peach

Abstract The aim of this research was to study the effect of two factors: elicitors and fungicide doses. The experiment was conducted in 2017 and 2018. The treatments were applied in four randomized complete blocks with six peach trees as the experimental unit. The effectiveness of treatments was evaluated after harvest so that fruits were inoculated with Monilinia fructicola and lesion diameter measurements were performed to evaluate the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) and determine the rate of increase. The content of total phenols and the activity of peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase, catalase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase enzymes were evaluated. The results showed that applications of potassium phosphite combined with full fungicide doses reduced AUDPC of Monilinia fructicola by 47% compared with the control (no elicitor, no fungicide). The content of phenols and the enzymatic activity increased with the application of elicitors. Pre-harvest application of elicitors is a viable option for the postharvest management of Monilinia fructicola.