The severity of anthracnose and stem-end rot in ‘Carabao’
mangoes was reduced by 83% and 100%, respectively by hot water
dips at 52e55 C for 10 min (Buganic et al., 1997). Yet the high
degree of postharvest disease control in this report may not be
attributed exclusively to HWT as cultural management was
involved. Fruit were wrapped with paper two months after flower
induction until harvest. This practice may have protected the
developing fruit from attack by pathogens present in the canopy of
mango trees at all times, hence, fruit may have limited latent
infection at harvest. Fungal populations established during fruit
development are responsible for postharvest diseases such as
anthracnose and stem-end rot (Prusky et al., 1983). Obviously,
cultural management such as fruit bagging should be implemented
as the extent of disease control could be influenced by the degree of
disease pressure during production. Furthermore, HWT at
52e55 C for 10 min did not completely inhibit fungal inoculum
which may develop progressively overtime to decay the fruit as
shown in the present study.