Project Coordinator:
Keith Lesar

Collaborating researchers and technicians involved:
Keith Lesar, Dr. Tian Schutte.
The aim of this project is to provide an industry service whereby new packhouse treatments are comparatively evaluated, fungicide resistance is monitored and standardised recommendations are provided. Research is conducted on all post-harvest citrus pathogens, e.g., Penicillium, Diplodia, sour rot (Geotrichum), Trichoderma, Phytophthora.

Ultimately the main objective is to improve decay control in packed cartons of export citrus fruit, thereby enabling the citrus producer to realise a maximum return upon delivery of a quality product into the market place.

This is achieved by:

The screening of new chemicals and potentially new fungicides.
Evaluation of new sanitising agents (disinfectants) for sanitation and decay control.
Evaluation of biocontrol agents and isolation of new antagonists.
Evaluation of the incorporation of any new products or procedures into current procedures as part of a systems approach to the management of post-harvest decay.
The screening of post-harvest pathogens for resistance to the post-harvest fungicides.
Evaluation of new citrus waxes and developing more regulated control of citrus waxes in the industry.
The evaluation of operational issues i.e., the handling of fruit from harvest to packhouse, packhouse treatments, waxing, packing and storage of the fruit in the cold chain, and the role that these issues might contribute to rind conditions on citrus cultivars e.g., Peteca spot, chilling injury, rind breakdown etc.