The kiwi is a very important crop for Greece. The post-harvest diseases are the principal source of problems for kiwis. The researchers of the Department of Agrarian Technologies of Sindos explained, “This study takes into account some of the general aspects of the post-harvest diseases of Greek kiwis. One of the main goals was the investigation of the pathogens that cause the post-harvesting rotting of kiwis. The results showed that the Botrytis Cinerea fungus caused 100% of post-harvest rottenness in the regions of Skydra Pella and Vrodou Katerini.
Also, B. Cinerea caused 85% of post-harvest rot in the regions of Chrysoupoli and Kavala. The Penicillium expansum fungus caused 12% of the post-harvest rottenness in the Chrysoupoli Kavala region. The Alternaria sp. and the Diapothe sp. fungi caused 1-3% of the infections. After 5 months of cold storage, overripe kiwis which are kept for 3 days at room temperature get infected by the Rhizopus stolonifer fungus.
In addition to the pathogens that caused the post-harvest rot, the researchers evaluated the efficacy of the fungicides fludioxonil, fludioxonil + cyprodinil and boscalid + pyraclostrobin, applied to the fruits by post-harvest immersion. None of those fungicides was apparently used in the post-harvest of kiwis in Greece – even though the fludioxonil was applied on post-harvested peaches and nectarines. The researchers continued, “The results showed that all the fungicides are effective on B. cinerea and P. expansum. The levels of fungicides residues tested on kiwis were examined about five months after their application. The results showed that only the residual levels of fludioxonil and boscalid were below the maximum residue levels (MRLs), whereas the residues of cyronidil and pyraclostrobin were higher than the MRLs values”.
Source: T. Thomidis, I. Prodromou, 'Evaluation of the effectiveness of three fungicides against pathogens causing postharvest fruit rot of kiwifruit', September 2018, Australasian Plant Pathology, Vol. 47 (5), pag. 485-489.