Assessment of Microflora on Lemon Fruit During Post Harvest Handling

There are many factors responsible for post-harvest losses of the above fruits and one of the factors for post-harvest losses are microorganisms able to develop fruit diseases.Latent infections such as Citrus Leaf Miner (caused by Phyllocnistis citrella - pest) Citrus White Fly/ Citrus Black Fly (Dialeurodes citri; Aleurocanthus woglumi - insect) Citrus or Lemon Butterfly(Papilio demoleus – pest in nurseries) Citrus Mite (Eutetranychus orientalis - insect) Armoured scales (Aonidiella auriantii A. citrina A. orientalis Chrysompahlus aonidum.)Soft Scales (Coccus hesperidium C. viridis)and Aphids (caused by Toxoptera citricida - virus) are the predominant postharvest diseases that cause severe postharvest losses and affect fruit quality during the supply chain. Fruits not only to carry microbial flora but increase in their strength while passing from the farm to the table