Pathogen quiescence in postharvest diseases

This chapter examines the quiescence period during different stages of fungal attack of postharvest pathogens: quiescence during spore germination and initial hyphal development, during and after appressorium formation, and quiescence of germinated appressorium and subcuticular hyphae. The different mechanisms for quiescence are reviewed: factors affecting quiescence of germinated spores, appressoria formation and germination, and fungal colonization. Special emphasis is given to mechanisms of quiescence involving fungal colonization: 1. the pathogen's nutritional requirements, 2. preformed antifungal compounds, 3. the elicitation of phytoalexins and preformed compounds, and 4. the activation of factors in fungal pathogenicity.