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Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is one of the oldest edible fruit tree species. Many fungal pathogens of pomegranate fruit that infect in the orchard and cause significant losses during storage. In the present study taken up to find out the important postharvest diseases of pomegranate in Dharwad, Aspergillus rot, Penicillium rot and Colletotrichum rot were observed. Among the plant extracts tested in vitro against Aspergillus niger, highest mycelial growth inhibition (72.20 %) was observed in 10 % garlic bulb extract, followed by , 10 % neem leaf extract (71.10 %), 10 % tulsi leaf extract 64.40 %. Garlic bulb extract at 10 % was most effective (78.09 %) in inhibition of spore germination followed by 10 % tulsi leaf extract (71.80 %), 10 % neem leaf extract (71.10 %). Least inhibition (12.51 %) was observed in 5 % parthenium leaf extract. Antagonism of biocontrol agents on A. niger was tested in vitro and Bacillus subtilis (77.00 %), Trichoderma harzianum (76.72 %), T. viride (76.65 %), T. virens (isolate 2) (74.00 %). were found to be effective. Among the postharvest treatments, 10 % neem leaf extract (23.12) and T. viride spore suspension (23.72) were effective in reducing the Per cent Disease Index (PDI) of Aspergillus rot of pomegranate compared to control with PDI of 61.20.
Keywords: Postharvest diseases of pomegranate, Aspergillus rot, Botanicals and Biocontrol agents