title: Effectiveness of Neutral Electrolyzed Water on Incidence of Fungal Rot on Tomato Fruits ( Solanum lycopersicum L.).
abstract: We assessed the effect of neutral electrolyzed water (NEW) on the incidence of rot on tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruits inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum , Galactomyces geotrichum , and Alternaria sp. at sites with lesions. The inoculated fruits were treated with NEW at 10, 30, and 60 mg liter-1active chlorine, with copper oxychloride fungicide, and with sterile distilled water (control) for 3, 5, and 10 min. In the experiment with F. oxysporum , 50 to 80% of the control fruits and 50 to 60% of the fruits treated with the fungicide exhibited symptoms of rot at the inoculated sites. The lowest incidence recorded was 30% for fruits treated with NEW at 60 mg liter-1active chlorine with an immersion time of 5 min. In the experiment with G. geotrichum , incidence of rot on control fruits was 70 to 90%, and for treatment with fungicide rot incidence was 50 to 90%. NEW at 60 mg liter-1active chlorine significantly reduced incidence of symptomatic fruit: only 30% of the inoculated fruits washed for 5 min had damage from rot. In the experiment with Alternaria sp., 60 to 90% of the fruits in the control group and 60 to 70% of the fruits in the fungicide group were symptomatic. The lowest incidence was recorded for the treatment in which the fruits were submerged in NEW with 60 mg liter-1active chlorine for 3 min. In this group, 40 to 50% of the fruits exhibited symptoms of rot. These results were obtained 8 days after inoculation. NEW, with 60 mg liter-1active chlorine, significantly reduced incidence of rot symptoms on fruits inoculated with one of the experimental fungi relative to the control (P ≤ 0.05). NEW at 60 mg liter-1is effective in the control of fungal rot in tomatoes.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional, Unidad Oaxaca, Hornos 1003, Col. Noche Buena, Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, C.P. 71230, Oaxaca, México.
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vásquez-López
authors.affiliation: Esteripharma México S.A. de C.V. Patricio Sanz 1582, Col. del Valle, Del. Benito Juárez, C.P. 03100, D.F., México.
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Villarreal-Barajas
authors.affiliation: Instituto Tecnológico del Valle de Oaxaca, Ex hacienda de Nazareno, Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, C.P. 71230, Oaxaca, México.
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Ortiz
mesh_terms: D005638:Fruit / Q000382:microbiology*; D005658:Fungi; D015994:Incidence; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000382:microbiology*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: Alternaria sp.; Fusarium oxysporum; Galactomyces geotrichum; Neutral electrolyzed water; Solanum lycopersicum