Postharvest Fruit Rot of Papaya Caused by Stemphylium lycopersici. K. F. Chau, Graduate Student, Plant Pathology Department, University of Hawaii, Honolulu 96822. A. M. Alvarez, Associate Professor, Plant Pathology Department, University of Hawaii, Honolulu 96822. Plant Dis. 67:1279-1281. Accepted for publication 18 July 1983. Copyright 1983 American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-67-1279.

A previously undescribed storage disease of papaya fruit caused by Stemphylium lycopersici is characterized by dark brown sunken lesions with distinct reddish brown margins. The pathogen infects wounded fruits more readily than it does unwounded fruits, and symptoms usually appear after extended cold storage (7–21 days). Lesion size and disease incidence were reduced by decreasing the storage temperature from 10 C (normal shipping temperature) to 4 C, but cold injury was observed on fruits stored at 6 C or lower. The fungus was pathogenic to lettuce, alfalfa, bean, and tomato.