Post-harvest diseases can destroy 10-30% of total crop yields and over 30% in some perishable crops. They develop during harvesting, grading, packing, transportation, storage, and consumption. Major losses occur in fresh fruits and vegetables and grains/legumes. Common post-harvest pathogens include Aspergillus, Penicillium, Erwinia, Monilinia, zygomycetes, and Sclerotinia. They cause diseases such as ear rot, soft rot, purple stain, and white mold. Proper post-harvest handling and storage is important to reduce losses from these diseases.

1. POST HARVEST DISEASES

2.  Post harvest diseases destroy 10-30 per cent of the
total crop yield
 In some perishable crops ›30 per cent

3.  Post harvest diseases develop on plant produce
 during harvesting, grading and packing
 During transportation to market/ consumer
 While in possession of the consumer until the actual
consumption

4. SYMPTOMS
 Great losses are usually caused to
 Fresh fruits and vegetables
 Grains and legumes

5. ASPERGILLUS, PENICILLIUM, ERWINIA, MONILINIA,
ZYGOMYCETES, AND SCLEROTINIA DISEASES
Aspergillus ear rot of corn, caused by Aspergillus
flavus
Infection under storage condition

6. Storage fungi emerging from embryos of wheat seed
incubated in a moist atmosphere.
(Aspergillus spp. & Penicillium spp.)

7. Concealed damage (yellow mold
and aflatoxin) in peanut seeds
split in half to reveal
sporulating Aspergillus flavus.
Sporulation of Aspergillus
flavus
on a peanut kernel

8. Black mold on an onion bulb, caused
by Aspergillus niger and other fungi

9. Penicillium ear rot of corn.
(Penicillium spp.)
Penicillium ear rot of corn,
caused by P. oxalicum

10. Blue mold on citrus, with heavy
sporulation of Penicillium italicum.
Several stages of green mold on sweet
oranges. (Penicillium digitatum)
Decay of garlic cloves, caused by Penicillium hirsutum

11. ERWINIA SPP.
Stem rot of Aloë vera, caused by Erwinia chrysanthemi,
resulting in a complete loss of the plant

12. Soft rot of crisphead lettuce, caused by
Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora.
Soft rot on lettuce crown, caused by
Erwinia carotovora pv. carotovora
Bacterial soft rot of tomato, caused by Erwinia spp.

13. Purple stain of papaya caused by Erwinia herbicola
showing bright purple speckling that fades to a greenish yellow
a few hours after fruits are cut open

14. MONILINIA FRUCTICOLA
Mature apotheica of Monilinia sp.
on mummified blueberry

15. 1. Rhizopus rot of grape,
caused by Rhizopus
arrhizus
2. Rhizopus soft rot of papaya
caused by Rhizopus stolonifer.
3. Choanephora fruit rot of summer squash, caused by
Choanephora cucurbitarum.

16. Rhizopus soft rot of melon, caused
by
Rhizopus stolonifer.

17. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
sclerotia
on bean pods and stem
Germinating sclerotium and
apothecia of Sclerotinia
sclerotiorum on bean

18. Sclerotinia rot on pea pods showing
mycelial mat is about to become a
large, black sclerotium. (S.
sclerotiorum)
Pea seed contaminated with
sclerotia S. sclerotiorum.
Sclerotia of S. sclerotiorum inside a soybean

19. Sclerotinia rot of melon, caused by S. Sclerotiorum; Sclerotinia stem rot of tomato
Sclerotia of S. Sclerotiorum in tomato stem

20. White mold on bean pods, caused by Sclerotinia
sclerotiorum.