Screening of Phylloplane and Fructoplane Epiphytes from Grapes for Antagonism against Postharvest Pathogens.

Grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) is a popular horticultural crop which is vulnerable to a variety of infections during pre and post-harvest conditions. Presently management of these diseases is by the application of synthetic fungicides but non-chemical control methods have gained importance recently in reducing the postharvest decay. Among the epiphytic microflora (29 bacterial and 2 yeast) isolated from phylloplane and fructoplane of the grapes, screened for their antagonistic activity in vitro against grapes postharvest pathogens viz., Penicillium citrinum, Alternaria alternata and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, 15 bacterial and 2 yeast isolates inhibited the growth of all three tested pathogens. These antagonists were found effective and can be utilized for the management of post-harvest diseases of grapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]