Preliminary results on Cadophora luteo-olivacea pathogenicity aspects on kiwifruit

During last years, skin pitting symptoms on kiwifruit, caused by Cadophora luteo-olivacea, were detected in packaging houses of different geographic areas. In this study, the kiwifruits ripeness stage was considered a possible condition influencing fungal virulence. FT-IR analysis confirmed that unripe kiwifruits are more susceptible to fungal attack. By observations at the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), we were able to follow month by month C. luteo-olivacea infection strategy. Once inside kiwifruit, the pathogen can colonize kiwifruit pulp just under the skin starting from the first month but modifying its structural composition only in the third and fourth months.