Abstract

The spoilage of pawpaw (Carica papaya L.), pepper (Capsicum sp.) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) from three selected farms in Agboville area, south of Côte d’Ivoire were investigated. 50 samples of each type of fruit (pawpaw, pepper and tomato) showing spoilage signs were examined for the presence of fungal pathogens inducing spoilage. Eight fungal species, Mucor velutinosus, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Colletotrichum higginsianum, Rhizopus oryzae, Mucor circinelloides f. circinelloides, Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizopus stolonifer and Geotrichum sp. identified by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE), were found associated with the deterioration of the fruit. All fungi found in the fruit were common to pawpaw (C. papaya) and tomato (L. esculentum) except M. guilliermondii which was only found in pawpaw (C. papaya). F. oxysporum, R. stolonifer and R. oryzae were associated with the spoilage of pepper (Capsicum sp.). F. oxysporum had the highest rate of occurrence among the isolated fungi (30%) followed by R. oryzae with 15% occurrence. M. velutinosus, Geotrichum sp., M. circinelloides f. circinelloides, R. stolonifer and C. higginsianum had all 10% occurrence. M. guilliermondii had the lowest rate at 5%. The result reveals that the presence of fungi before harvesting may be damageable to the fruit, so the use of natural control agents to ensure an effectiveness of the production, the marketing, product quality food safety appears to be very important.

Key words: Tomato (L. esculentum), pawpaw (Carica papaya), pepper (Capsicum sp.), polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE).