Isolation and morphological identification of some pathogens causing post-harvest diseases of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Post-harvest diseases significantly reduce the quality and quantity of fresh produce. Fruit rot, a common issue observed during the tomato storage, leads to substantial output losses. In tropical and subtropical regions, post-harvest losses during harvesting, transportation, and consumption are estimated to range between 20% and 50%, resulting in destroyed crops and reduced yields. Several fungal species have been identified as major contributors to post-harvest losses in tomatoes. These include Fusarium oxysporum (Fusarium wilt), Rhizoctonia solani (collar rot), Geotrichum candidum (sour rot), Alternaria alternata (black rot), Alternaria solani (early blight), Rhizopus stolonifera (bulb rot), Fusarium solani (vascular wilt), and Phytophthora cinnamomi (buckeye rot).