Effect of storage in controlled atmosphere on post-harvest infections of \+i\ Phytophthora brassicae \-i\ and chilling injury in Chinese cabbage (\+i\ Brassica rapa \-i\ L \+i\ pekinensis \-i\ (Lour) Hanelt)

Heads of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L pekinensis (Lour) Hanelt) were inoculated with Phytophthora brassicae De Cock and Man in't Veld and stored at 1.5DGC in the following concentrations of CO(sub 2)/O(sub 2): 0.5%/20.5% (control), 0.5%/1.5% or 3.0%/3.0%. In experiments with cv "Nerva", stored for 94-97 days, the infection caused by P brassicae was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the controlled atmosphere (CA) treatments than in the control. However, in vitro growth of P brassicae on agar was slower (p < 0.001) in the CA treatments than in the control. Chilling injury (brown midribs) found in cv "Parkin" was highest in heads from the control. Storage in 0.5% CO(sub 2)/1.5% O(sub 2) significantly (p < 0.001) reduced this disorder, and the lowest percentage of brown midribs was found in 3.0% CO(sub 2)/3.0% O(sub 2). No chilling injury was found in cv "Nerva".