Although in planta challenge study was not conducted but
in vivo experiments were performed challenging postharvest
immature fruits with R. stolonifer spores (104 spores/ml) followed
by application of all five biocontrol organisms (107–108 CFU/ml).
Such application of biocontrol agents particularly the food grade
lactic acid bacterial strains give effective result in preventing the
rot formations (Table 2). The results reveal that in completely
uninoculated control set, rot formation naturally occurs in 28%
fruits in 10 days and 60% in 15 days whereas pathogen application
to the fruits induce rot formation in 60% samples within five days
and almost 100% damage in 10–15 days. On the contrary biocontrol
agents when applied prior to challenge with pathogenic spores
almost complete prevention of rot formation in the fruits were
noticed up to 10 days and only 4–27% rot after 15 days incubation