POSTHARVEST DISEASES OF MANGO IN FIJI

Mereia Fong Lomavatu (USC), Professor Steven Underhill (USC), & Dr Lindy Coates (DAF, QLD)

APPS 2015 – Fremantle, WA

Fiji Mango Industry • Small, ~1380 tons annually• Only 4 commercial mango orchards• 69 cultivars present; 31 local/38 exotic• Exports green mango to NZ & mango puree to

Aust.• No fresh imports but imported mango juice sold• High production losses due to preharvest &

postharvest diseases• Major postharvest disease is anthracnose

Horticulture produce, increasing in export, grew to 18%• Involves ≥ 51,000 farmers in rural areas, semi-

commercial farmers• Govt. & external findings concentrating on

horticulture development• Mango is major crop in sugar cane production

areas where poverty is high

Mango Post Harvest Diseases found in Fiji• Anthracnose first documented as mango disease in

1956 and as postharvest disease in 1971. In 1988, firstreport of mango anthracnose control work was carriedout.

• Anthracnose is the only postharvest diseasedocumented on mango in Fiji, with Colletotrichum sp.(teleomorph Glomerella cingulata) listed as causalagent

• There is no listing of other major mango postharvest diseases.Neither are records of minor postharvest diseases

Stem end rot Alternaria rot

Transit rotDendritic spot

Blue mould Stemphylium rot Aspergillus rot

• Other postharvest diseases would almost certainlyoccur on mango in Fiji, but to date have not beensurveyed or reported.

Future Work (PhD Research)

To determine presence of importantpostharvest diseases of mango in Fiji,

assess cultivar susceptibility and pre-harvest management practicesthat influence incidence of postharvestdiseases (focus on anthracnose), andBased on this information: develop appropriate control

strategies to reduce pathogen-inducepostharvest wastage.