Prevalence of post-harvest fungal diseases of avocado in fruit markets in Embu County Kenya

Abstract

fungal diseases such as anthracnose, scab and cercospora spot. This study assessed the prevalence of the aforementioned fungal diseases in various fruit markets in across six markets. Avocado fruits were randomly selected and examined for the presence of anthracnose, scab and cercospora spot diseases. Symptomatic fruits were taken to the laboratory for further analysis. The Hass avocado was the most common variety, found in 39% of the sampled stores, followed by local varieties (24%), Fuerte (21%), and Puebla (4%). Most vendors (42%) used hooks to harvest avocados, while 39% picked the fruits by hand. For packaging, 54% used sacks, 21% used buckets, and 13% used crates. Fifty-four percent of vendors used synthetic practices. Disease prevalence varied significantly (P < 0.05) across the markets. Kianjokoma market had the highest prevalence of anthracnose (35.0%), while Mutunduri had the lowest (21.3%). Siakago market recorded the highest prevalence spot was most prevalent in Kianjokoma (35.0%). The study highlights widespread avocado fruit diseases, exacerbated by harvesting and post-harvest handling