Thiabendazole and 2-aminobutane as post-harvest fungicides for citrus

Abstract

Thiabendazole, 2-aminobutane (phosphated), and sodium ortho-phenylphenate were compared as dip treatments for the control of Penicillium digitatum Sacc. in oranges. Fruit from three orchards was surface inoculated with spores of the green mould fungus 48 hours before fungicide treatment. Thiabendazole, dried on the fruit at a concentration of 0.01 per cent, significantly reduced mould. At concentrations of 0.025 per cent and higher, thiabendazole dried-on gave more effective mould control than 0.5 per cent 2-aminobutane dried-on and reduced wastage to the very low levels achieved with double sodium orthophenylphenate and double 2-aminobutane treatments.