Abstract:

We designed this study to examine the effect of hexanal fumigation on postharvest infectious diseases and
physiological disorders of navel oranges. For infectious diseases, the effect of hexanal vapour treatment before artificial
inoculation of navel oranges with Penicillium italicum, Penicillium digitatum and Colletotrichum gloeosporides was
not significant while the effect of hexanal vapour treatment after artificial inoculation with pathogens was related to
its concentration. The incidence of infectious diseases was decreased by hexanal vapour treatment at 50 and 100 μL/L,
especially at 100 μL/L. Meanwhile, 100 μL/L hexanal vapour also significantly inhibited the increase in the natural incidence
of diseases. The effect of hexanal vapor treatment at low concentrations (50 and 100 μL/L) on physiological disorders was
not significant, but hexanal vapor treatment at high concentration (150 μL/L) promoted the oxidation of total phenolics,
caused rind collapse and then accelerated the occurrence of the physiological disorders.

Key words: hexanal, infectious diseases, physiological disorders, storage