EFFECT OF PULSED ELECTRIC FIELDS ON GERMINATION TUBE ELONGATION AND SPORE GERMINATION OF BOTRYTIS CINEREA INOCULATED INTO SOUR CHERRY JUICE, APRICOT AND PEACH NECTARS

Inactivation of Botrytis cinerea inoculated into sour cherry juice, apricot and peach nectars was determined by pulsed electric fields (PEF) based on the measurement of germination tube elongation, spore germination rate and light and scanning electron (SEM) mi-croscopic observations. With increasing electric field strength and processing time, germination tube elongation and spore germination were completely inhibited (P <= 0.05). Microscopic observations revealed considerable morphological alterations such as cytoplasmic coagulation, vacuolations, hyphal shriveling and protoplast leakage. PEF processing of juice/nectars was very effective to inactivate B. cinerea. This method could be used to prevent product loss in fruit juice/nectars due to B. cinerea contamination.