Asymptomatic and symptomatic apples covered with sooty epiphytes Raw sequence reads
Sooty epiphytes are a complex of fungi that colonize apple surfaces, forming blemishes that reduce fruit quality. The structure of epiphytic microbial communities influences pathogen suppression; however, their role in sooty epiphyte development and responses to fungicide treatments during cold storage remains poorly understood. Fungal and bacterial communities were characterized on asymptomatic apples at harvest and apples covered with sooty epiphytes after postharvest cold storage across different fungicide programs consisting of fludioxonil and acidic clays applied alone or in combination with captan prior to harvest.