Effect of Debaryomyces hansenii and Calcium Salt on Fruit Rot of Peach (Rhizopus macrosporus)

Effect of calcium salt (calcium carbonate, calcium chloride and calcium nitrate) in combination with Debmyomyces hansenii on growth and disease severity of Rhizopus macrosporus was studied. Calcium chloride 2% w/v retained antagonist population (10.42 log cfu/ml) after 5 days. D. hansenii (10⁹ cfu/ml) suppressed growth of R. macrosporus completely in vitro. Among various calcium salts, calcium carbonate 2% w/v was found more effective to suppress the growth of R. macroporus by 2.1 and 4.2 cm diameter after 48 and 72 hrs. of incubation, respectively, Minimum severity of fruit rots (infected area -6,7 cm²) on peach was found in calcium chloride (2% w/v) + D. hansenii along with minimum rot incidence (16.6%) under ambient conditions.