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Fumigation of Fruits with 2-Aminobutane to Control Certain Postharvest Diseases. J. W. Eckert, Associate Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside 92502; M. J. Kolbezen, Chemist, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside 92502. Phytopathology 60:545-550. Accepted for publication 27 October 1969. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-60-545.

Penicillium digitatum and P. expansum on citrus and apple fruits, respectively, were controlled by fumigating inoculated fruits with 25-100 ppm (v/v) 2-aminobutane for 4 hr. Treatments comprised of higher concentrations and shorter exposure periods produced similar results when the product of concentration and exposure time (ppm × hr) was in the range of 100-400. An accumulated dosage of 800 ppm-hr controlled Monilinia fructicola on peaches. Oranges were not injured by concentrations 50 times greater than those required for control of decay, but lemons, apples, and peaches were injured by exposure to 500 ppm for 4 hr. Penicillium decay of citrus fruits was controlled without damaging fruits by fumigating at 10,000 ppm of 2-aminobutane for less than 1 min. Conidia of P. digitatum germinated after exposure to 100 ppm of 2-aminobutane for 4 hr, indicating that the fungistatic residues of 2-aminobutane in the peel of the fruit may prevent infection by P. digitatum.