Fungi Associated with Pre-Harvest Deterioration of Eggplant Solanum Melongena and their Control using Fruit Extract of Tetrapleura Tetraptera.

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the fungi associated with pre-harvest fruit rot of eggplant (Solanummelongena L.), their effect on fruit nutritional content and their control using fruit extracts of Tetrapleuratetrapterain- vitro. The fungal pathogens isolated as the causative agents of fruit rot in this study were Phomopsismelongenae and Collectotrichummelongenae. The result of proximate analysis of fungal infected and non-infected eggplant carried out showed that there was an increase in the moisture and protein content of the fungal infected eggplant as compared to healthy ones (control), while there was a decrease in the crude fibre, fat, ash, and carbohydrate contents of the fungal infected eggplant fruits as compared to the healthy ones (control).