Bulletin 229, Diseases of Citrus in Florida


 DECAY OF CITRUS FRUIT IN TRANSIT AND
 ON THE MARKET
 A large number of problems arise in connection with the de-
cay of citrus fruit during the various operations of handling
from the time it is picked until it reaches the consumer, all of
which have an important economic bearing on the marketing
problem. Other things
being equal, the price of
fruit is determined by its
quality an d condition
when it arrives on the
market. Aside from the
grade of fruit, its sizes,
and the condition of the
boxes, the percentage of
decay is a factor of fun-
damental importance in
determining t h e price
citrus fruit will bring
upon its arrival on the
market.
 Experience on t h e
fruit markets has dem-
onstrated that the classi-
fication of diseases based
merely on the nature of Fig. 60.-Aspergi'lus rot on Key lime,
 showing the rotted area and the pow-
the organism or other dery, brownish-black spore masses.
agency causing them did
not meet with the demands of the business men. For their pur-
poses, it was found preferable to classify diseases into the three
following categories.
 1. Diseases which cause damage in the field but which do not
spread during transportation and marketing, as, for example,
melanose, scab, and exanthema ammoniationon").
 2. Diseases which cause damage in the field and which are
liable to develop and spread during transportation and market-
ing, as, for example, stem-end rot, black rot and blue and green
molds.
 3. Diseases which occur during transportation and marketing
as a result of improper methods of handling, as, for example,
blue and green mold and storage spotting.