Indole-3-acetic acid enhances the biocontrol of Penicillium expansum and Botrytis cinerea on pear fruit by Cryptococcus laurentii

Abstract

This study evaluated the efficacy of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) alone or with a biocontrol yeast, Cryptococcus laurentii, in the inhibition of blue and gray mold diseases (Penicillium expansum and Botrytis cinerea) on pear fruit. The results demonstrated that a combination of C. laurentii with IAA at 100 μg mL-1 was more effective in suppressing blue and gray mold infections on pear fruit than application of C. laurentii alone. IAA alone or with C. laurentii stimulated catalase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase activities of pear fruit, indicating that IAA can induce fruit-mediated resistance, although this agent alone had no direct antifungal activity. © 2007 Federation of European Microbiological Societies.