Reduction of fungal spoilage in Amélie variety mango (Mangifera indica L.) using biocontrol agents

The mango is today one of the five most produced and consumed fruits in the world after the orange, the banana, the grape and the apple. It is one of the three most exported fruits from Côte d’Ivoire with banana and pineapple. However, the mango sector faces enormous post-harvest losses due to diseases and handling activities. It is in this context that the objective of this work is to reduce post-harvest losses of the Amélie variety mango, using formulations based on biocontrol agents (Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis) against fungal germs spoilage. To do this, isolation and identification of spoilage fungal strains on 50 spoiled Amélie variety mangoes were carried out. Two liquid formulations based on the two biocontrol agents were produced and tested on the isolated fungal strains. The results of this study showed that Colletotrichum and Lasiodiplodia were identified as genera responsible for mango spoilage. In vitro antagonist tests carried out with the formulations inhibited the growth of Colletotrichum and Lasiodiplodia. The inhibition rates of the Bacillus subtilis formulation were between 76.63% and 89.06% and those of Pseudomonas fluorescens were 78.21% to 83.57%. For the consortium (Bacillus subtilis + Pseudomonas fluorescens), the inhibition rates of the formulations were between 87.73% and 88.97%. Therefore, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens could be used as biocontrol agents in the fight against fungal spoilage of mango in Côte d'Ivoire.