Quaternary chitosan oligomers enhance resistance and biocontrol efficacy of Rhodosporidium paludigenum to green mold in satsuma orange

This study investigated the capacity of chitosan oligomers (COS), applied before harvest singly or in combination with antagonists, in controlling postharvest green mold caused by Penicillium digitatum in satsuma orange. Oranges treated with COS or Rhodosporidium paludigenum were observed having a delay in onset and progression of disease symptoms relative to wounded controls. Preharvest application of COS at different concentrations achieved similar biocontrol efficiency rates in green mold control after 4 days storage. However, the combination of pre-COS (1%, w/v) and R. paludigenum showed a more effective decay control than any other treatments. COS (1%, w/v) alone did not negatively affect R. paludigenum growth in wounds, but severely inhibited P. digitatum spore germination than lower dose treatments in vitro. The expression levels of the defense-related genes chitinase and phenylalanine ammonia lyase increased with decreased disease symptoms. Moreover, this phenomenon was more prominent in the integrated treatments than in the individual ones.