Abstract

The abundance of applied microbial pest control agents (MPCAs) and their metabolites were compared to that of the natural microbiota on field grown strawberries. Microbial communities on berries were complex including potential plant pathogens, opportunistic human pathogens, plant disease biocontrol agents and mycotoxin produces. Selected indigenous fungal isolates produced mycotoxins on berries in vitro while none of the tested MPCAs produced such toxins. No mycotoxins or other known metabolites were detected despite the occurrence of potential producers on the berries. Fungicides and MPCA may be applied in an integrated strategy since MPCA establishment was unaffected by the fungicides

Keywords

mycotoxins, biological control, post harvest

Published in

Pesticides report
2011, number: No. 128
Publisher: Danish Ministry of the Environment, Environmental Protection Agency

Authors' information