Postharvest fungal diseases of cactus pear fruit in southern Italy

Penicillium polonicum, Alternaria alternata, and Macrophomina phaseolina were identified as causal agents of three different postharvest diseases of cactus pear fruit in southern Italy. P. polonicum was responsible for blue mould and was identified by sequencing part of the β-tubulin gene DNA region. A. Alternata and M. phaseolina were the causal agents of a dry rot on fruit stored at 5°C and a basal soft rot on fruit stored at 20°C, respectively. The last two fungal species were identified by sequencing the GAPDH and TEF1-alpha gene regions.