Comparison of four systemic fungicides for post-harvest treatment of citrus

Abstract

A study was made to compare the relative effectiveness of thiabendazole, benomyl, thiophanatemethyl and the methyl ester of benzimidazol-2-ylcarbamic acid, when used as post-harvest fungicides for the control of Penicillium digitatum in Washington Navel oranges. Twenty four hours after artificial wound inoculation the fruit was dipped for 30 seconds in suspensions of the materials, stored for seven days at 23°C and assessed for mould wastage. Relative to benomyl, thiabendazole was 0.27 times as effective (95 per cent fiducial limits 0.20 and 0.36); thiophanate-methyl 0.08 time (limits 0.06 and 0.11) and the ester 1.05 times as effective (limits 0.77 and 1.44).