Location: Commodity Protection and Quality Research
Project Number: 2034-30600-001-005-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Oct 1, 2025
End Date: Sep 30, 2026
Objective:
(1) To evaluate the effect of three concentrations (1,2,3%) of sodium methylparaben (SMP) on the control of postharvest diseases in stored mandarin fruit;
(2) To examine the effect of delayed SMP treatment on the control of postharvest diseases in stored mandarin fruit;
(3) To examine the effects of three different dipping times(30sec, 1min and 2min) and two temperatures (20°C and 50°C) on the control of postharvest diseases in stored mandarin fruit.
Approach:
Objective 1: Inoculate fruit with a conidial suspension of each pathogen, dip inoculated fruit in sodium methylparaben (SMP) solution at 20°C for 30 seconds, air-dry on a steel grid, pack into fruit trays inside plastic containers, and store at 5°C for 2 to 5 weeks. Record disease incidence and severity post-storage. Conduct the experiment at our facility, aiming to complete it within the first year on mandarin to obtain a comprehensive overview of SMP’s efficacy.
Objective 2: ARS will conduct the experiment at our facility. This experiment provides information on the impact of delayed treatment at the packinghouse. ARS will plan to complete this test in the first year.
These objectives will provide a comprehensive dataset on SMP’s efficacy as a sustainable postharvest treatment, addressing growers’ needs for alternatives to synthetic chemical fungicides.
Objective 3: Experiment design is similar to the Experiment (i). ARS will test the various dipping time and compare 2 temperatures.