Transit rot

Cause

The fungus Rhizopus stolonifer.

Symptoms

Transit rot appears after harvest and can cause sporadic losses of fruit under high humidity conditions. Pale watery lesions appear and fungal growth may cover affected fruit. Black spores appear among white fungal growth.

How it spreads

The disease can spread from fruit to fruit and from contaminated packaging material such as wood wool.

It affects fruit on or near the soil and through contact with infested fruit. Transit rot is worse in warm, wet weather and an cause serious breakdown in transit or storage.

Crops affected

Mango, tomato, capsicum, rockmelon, stone fruit and sweetpotato.

Control

Post-harvest control of transit rot

Remove reject fruit that may harbour Rhizopus from the packing shed. Spray packing equipment and the shed with a sanitising agent. Steam cleaning or high-pressure hot water cleaning should precede the use of a sanitiser.

Wood wool should not be used as packing material as it can act as a source of Rhizopus infection. It also causes surface scratching.

No fungicides are approved for control of transit rot in mangoes. Avoid long-term storage of fruit.

Chemical registrations and permits

Check the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority database for chemicals registered or approved under permit to treat this pest on the target crop in your location. Always read the label and observe withholding periods.