Management of Penicillium expansum rot of apples by lactic acid bacteria

An attempt was made to explore an alternative and safe method for the management of Penicillium expansum rot of apples. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) viz. Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. sporogenes, L. lactis and Streptococcus lactis were effective competitors of P. expansum in vitro. Among these, L. acidophilus was the most effective colonizer. Maximum control of P. expansum rot was achieved at a concentration of 2 x 10¹⁰ CFU/ml of the test organism. All the test organisms (LAB) showed pre-inoculation control ranging between 84.4 – 95.3%. It was concluded thereby, that LAB could be used to protect the apple fruit from P. expansum rot and thus, enhanced its shelf life.