Pathology.

This chapter focuses on the various postharvest diseases affecting the postharvest quality of fruits and vegetables. Information on the infection process of major postharvest decay fungi, i.e. Alternaria, Aspergillus, Botrytis, Fusarium, Geotrichum, Monilinia, Penicillium, Rhizopus and Sclerotinia and the bacteria Pectobacterium and Pseudomonas, are presented and some factors affecting the development of infection, such as high temperature, high humidity, free water and chilling injury, are discussed. Some methods for the control of these postharvest pathogens (physical, chemical and biological) and their efficacy are also highlighted.