Investigating the tolerance of different strawberry cultivars to Botrytis cinerea infection and its relation with fruit quality.

This article investigates the tolerance of four strawberry cultivars ('Romina', 'Cristina', 'Silvia', and 'Sibilla') to infection by Botrytis cinerea, the fungus responsible for grey mold, and examines associated changes in fruit quality and nutritional compounds during postharvest storage. The study found that the 'Silvia' cultivar exhibited the highest tolerance to Botrytis infection, while 'Romina' was the most susceptible. Infection generally led to decreased soluble solids, phenolic acids, vitamin C, and anthocyanin content, with anthocyanins increasing in uninfected fruits but strongly decreasing in infected ones. A positive correlation was observed between higher nutritional compound levels and increased tolerance to decay, though the authors note that other factors such as physical fruit properties and senescence may also influence susceptibility. Further research is recommended to clarify the mechanisms underlying cultivar tolerance to Botrytis cinerea.