Demonstration of efficacy of a Pythium oligandrum product postharvest treatment against fruit rot in apples

Pythium oligandrum is a non-pathogenic soil-inhabiting oomycete with strong mycoparasitic abilities colonizing the root system of many crops. The final formulation containing this microorganism has been developed, marketed and sold under the trade name Polyversum by a Czech company Biopreparáty, spol. s r.o. The method of application using fogging machines has been developed by a Polish partner company Bioagris. The efficacy on postharvest rots of apples was demonstrated in a trial lasting two storage seasons on two cultivars of apples, performed in commercial storage chambers. A reduction in fruit rot after Pythium oligandrum formulation treatment compared to untreated samples was proven in both, the reduced temperature cold storage variant and the ULO variant (nitrogen atmosphere with ripening inhibitors).