Published in Scientific Bulletin. Series F. Biotechnologies, Vol. XXVIII, Issue 2
Written by Florentina BADEA, Constantin Alexandru ALDEA, Camelia Filofteia DIGUȚĂ, Florentina MATEI
The aim of this study was to test three strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB): Lactobacillus fermentum MI204, Lactobacillus plantarum MI207 and Pediococcus pentosaceus MI213 in order to establish their potential to inhibit the development of the gray mold, Botrytis cinerea, on the surface of white grape berries to extend their shelf life during the storage period. The experiments involved the treatment of grape berries with LABs suspension, followed by their artificial contamination with B. cinerea spores. The berries were than stored and sampled every 24 hours for determining the load of B. cinerea and LABs by culture-based techniques and by qPCR. The L. plantarum MI207 strain was shown to be effective in inhibiting the development of the B. cinerea fungus on the surface of white grapes. Furthermore, all three LAB strains were able to maintain their viability and multiply on the surface of the grape berries during the storage period. The qPCR technique proved to be effective in quantifying the genetic material from both B. cinerea and the three strains of LAB in a shorter time compared to the use of the culture-based methods.
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