Studies on post harvest diseases in Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.)

Pomegranate Punica granatum L. a member of family punicaceae an Arill type of fruit is commonly known as ¿Anar¿. It is one of the favourite table fruit crop of tropical and subtropical countries. Now a days post harvest losses are increasing day by day due to one or another reasons. Post harvest losses due to fungal diseases are of prime importance which reduces the quality and quantity of marketable fruits leading to heavy losses to growers, sellers as well as consumers. The present investigations on post harvest diseases of pomegranate were carried out with regard to isolation of organisms responsible for post harvest spoilage, pathogenicity, symptomatology of fungi and in order to suggest suitable control measures the bioagents, botanicals and fungicides were evaluated. In in vitro evaluation of bioagents Trichoderma viride was found to inhibit maximum growth of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Alternaria alternata and Botrydiplodia theobromae than Trichoderma harzianum.The yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain 1 was found effective in inhibiting mycelial growth of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Altenaria alternata than strain-2.