Commercial testing of aspire: A yeast preparation for the biological control of postharvest decay of citrus

Aspire, a biocontrol product containing the yeast Candida oleophila as the active ingredient, is registered in the United States and Israel for commercial use. The efficacy of Aspire in controlling postharvest decay of citrus fruit was evaluated in commercial packinghouse tests. The combination of Aspire with 200 mu g/ml thiabendazole (TBZ) often reduced the incidence of decay, caused by the green and blue molds (Penicillium digitatum and P. italicum, respectively), as well as a conventional fungicide treatment. Furthermore, Aspire was highly efficacious against sour rot caused by Geotrichum candidum, a decay not controlled by the conventional treatments. Suppression of decay achieved with Aspire plus TBZ was maintained throughout a 5-day period during which the fruit was shipped to Europe and subsequently held in cold storage at 5 degrees C for 45 days. However, the incidence of decay in shipped fruit was 1% greater for fruit treated with Aspire plus TBZ than for fruit that received the conventional fungicide treatment including sodium O-phenylphenate (SOPP), TBZ, imazalil, and metalaxyl. (C) 1998 Academic Press.