ABSTRACT
Postharvest diseases of fruits cause major economic losses to farmers in the form of quantity and quality of fruits and are a major concern for food security. Even in developed countries, around 20–25% of the fruits are lost due to various postharvest diseases. The major postharvest diseases and disorders of apple include bitter pit, brown hearts, storage scald, scab, blue mould, grey mould, brown rot, etc. Postharvest diseases of apple can be divided into two, viz., diseases initiated as a result of preharvest infections and those due to postharvest infection. An integrated strategy needs to be adopted for the effective management of these diseases. The most commonly used strategies include good harvesting and handling practices, postharvest cleaning and safe storage, hot water treatment (HWT) and the use of biocontrol agents and fungicide. Integrating these strategies in an efficient and economically feasible manner will help in overcoming the menace posed by postharvest diseases not only in apple but also in other fruits and vegetables.
