Efficacy of Pre-harvest Applications of Various Bio and Agrochemical Products on Anthracnose Disease of Mango Fruits and Keeping Quality During Storage Conditions.

Mango anthracnose disease is an essential problem in Egypt and one of the more significant economic restrictions of mango production. The economic losses caused by anthracnose disease are mostly attributed to reduce fruit quality and marketability. Anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is one of the most widespread fungal diseases that affects mango worldwide. This study was to verify the effects of pre-harvest applications of various bio and agrochemical products, Fungisei 1% (Bacillus subtilis strain IAB/BSO3), Biocontrol T34 12% (Trichoderma asperellum strain T34), Trifmine 15% (Triflumizole), Divide 60% and calcium chloride (CaCl2) against natural and artificial infection by C. gloeosporioides on two mango cultivars cv. Naomi and cv. Keitt after storage at 12±1 °C and 85-90% RH for 50 days and their effect on fruit quality parameters. C. gloeosporioides was able to induce anthracnose disease on mango fruits. Keitt cultivar was more susceptible than cv. Naomi under artificial inoculation in pathogenicity tests of the two years of the investigation. All tested products reduced C. gloeosporioides linear growth on PDA medium compared to control. Divide 60%, Trifmine 15% and CaCl2 were the best effective treatments where each of them completely inhibited the growth of tested fungus. On the other hand, Biocontrol T34 12 % and Fungisei 1% recorded low efficacy in reducing the colony growth of the tested pathogen. All tested products were significantly better than the control in decrease the percentages of disease incidence and severity of anthracnose disease under natural and artificial infection with C. gloeosporioides. Calcium chloride, Trifmine 15% and Divide 60% their performance were the best compared with Fungisei 1% and Biocontrol T34 12 % for both natural and artificial infection during the two investigated seasons. Pre-harvest spraying any of CaCl2, Trifmine 15% EC and Divide 60% totally controlled and inhibited anthracnose disease on mango fruits which had been treated with the previous products in the field and were subjected to the natural infection and cold storage at 12±1 °C and 85-90% RH for 50 days during 2023 and 2024. All tested products kept fruit quality parameters and had significant effect due to total soluble solids, titratable acidity, fruit firmness and vitamin C (Ascorbic acid content).