Incidence of mycoflora and fruit rotting in peach: opening in packaging materials

Tree-ripe peach fruits of cultivar Shan-e-Punjab was packed in CFB (Corrugated Fiber Board) box (size 36 x 23 x 11.4 cm; thickness-5 ply) and polyethylene bag (200 guage; size 24 x 22.7 cm) having 0.0, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0% opening holes. Minimum fruit rot of 29.5% was found in CFB box having 1.0% opening hole whereas, 38.2% rotting in polyethylene bag having 2.0% after 5 days in ambient conditions. No fruits were spoiled till 28 days in CFB box in all levels of opening while in polyethylene bag 14.3 and 5.5% fruits were rotted in 0.0 and 0.5% opening respectively under cold store. Eight fungi viz; Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Penicillium expansum, Rhizopus stolonifer and R. macrosporus were recorded from peach fruit during storage under ambient conditions and among them, R. stolonifer was found most prominent fungus spoiled the fruit within 3–4 days. Minimum incidence of R. stolonifer was found 66.6 and 18.3% in CFB box and polyethylene bag at 0.0% opening, respectively.