ISOLATION, IDENTIFICATION, AND PATHOGENICITY OF FUNGAL PATHOGENS ASSOCIATED WITH POSTHARVEST SPOILAGE OF APPLE (PYRUS MALUS L.) IN NAVI MUMBAI MARKET

Apple (Pyrus malus L.) is a widely cultivated fruit globally and in India, but significant postharvest spoilage has been reported under market storage conditions, particularly in the APMC Fruit Market of Vashi, Navi Mumbai. The current study conducted over two consecutive seasons from January to February 2025 and January to February 2026. Regular inspections revealed frequent rotting, and eleven fungal pathogens were isolated from decayed fruits using Czapek’s Dox Agar. They were Colletotrichum acutatum, Venturia inaequalis, Monilinia fructicola, Botrytis cinerea, Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus fumigates, A. flavus, Sclerotina fructigena, Rhizopus stolonifer, Mucor piriformis, and Penicillium expansum. Among them, Penicillium expansum showed the highest incidence (90%), while Monilinia fructicola had the lowest (30%). Spoilage was more severe in humid conditions and in fruits with surface injuries, and pathogenicity tests confirmed that all isolated fungi could infect healthy apples.