Greenhouse-grown butter lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) can potentially be stored for 21 days at constant 0°C. When storage temperature was increased to 5°C or 10°C, shelf life was shortened to 14 or 10 days, respectively, in our previous observations. Also, commercial shelf life of 7 to 10 days is common, due to postharvest temperature fluctuations. The objective of this study was to establish neu...

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has proved to be a multifunctional signaling molecule in plants and animals. Here, we investigated the role of H2S in the decay of fresh-cut pears (Pyrus pyrifolia). H2S gas released by sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) prolonged the shelf life of fresh-cut pear slices in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, H2S maintained higher levels of reducing sugar and soluble protein in pea...

Potassium sorbate (KS), a common food preservative, was evaluated to control postharvest decay of citrus fruit. Significant advantages of KS ver the commonly used sodium bicarbonate, which similarly improved fungicide performance, are the relatively low salt concentration of KS, the bsence of sodium, and its lower pH, so disposal of used KS solutions would raise fewer regulatory issues. The inf...

A novel edible coating based on Aloe vera gel obtained according to SP Patent Filed 200302937 has been used as a means of preservation to maintain the quality and safety of cv. Crimson Seedless table grapes during cold storage and subsequent shelf life. Table grapes have a crucial economic value as a dessert fruit, but once harvested show a reduction of shelf life due to a rapid loss of quality...

The limitations of chemical fungicides for the control of postharvest diseases have recently become more apparent. The utilization of antagonistic microorganisms is a promising alternative to that of fungicides to control postharvest decay. In previous studies, the antagonistic yeast Cryptococcus laurentii has shown excellent effects of biocontrol and great potential for practical application. ...

Pleurotus ostreatus is an industrially cultivated basidiomycete with nutritional and environmental applications. Its genome, which was sequenced by the Joint Genome Institute, has become a model for lignin degradation and for fungal genomics and transcriptomics studies. The complete P. ostreatus genome contains 35 Mbp organized in 11 chromosomes, and two different haploid genomes have been indi...

Certain nematicidal treatments for the control of root knot of tobacco in six field experiments in North Carolina were used to determine early, midseason, and postharvest densities of eggs and larvae of Meloidogyne spp., postharvest root-knot indices, and crop yield and value. Various statistical correlations showed that population densities determined 6-8 wk after transplanting were more indic...