Prevalence, loss assessment and evaluation of effect sodium BI-carbonate treatment on anthracnose disease development on papaya (Carica papaya L.)

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a vital tropical and subtropical fruit crop, ranking second after mango as a source of vitamin A. However, anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, significantly affects its post-harvest quality, leading to substantial economic losses. This study aimed to survey the incidence of anthracnose in Navsari district markets, isolate the pathogen, and evaluate the In vitro efficacy of Sodium bi-carbonate treatment on anthracnose disease development on Papaya. The study revealed the highest disease incidence (25.25%) was recorded in Moraji Desai Market, Navsari, with peak losses during May-June 2022. C. gloeosporioides was isolated using tissue isolation and identified by its whitish to light pink mycelium and hyaline, cylindrical conidia. Pathogenicity was confirmed through Koch’s postulates. The In vitro treatment with sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) at 3.00 gL⁻¹ reduced disease incidence to 16.66% and extended fruit shelf life to 13.67 days. This suggests that sodium bicarbonate could be a viable, low-cost, and environmentally friendly method for managing post-harvest anthracnose in papaya, potentially reducing economic losses and improving fruit quality in markets like Navsari.