January 28, 2026 | Journal of Phytopathology | da Silva França
A previously unreported postharvest disorder in pineapple (Ananas comosus) associated with microbial infection was investigated in a study conducted by Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Brazil. Pineapple is an economically important tropical fruit in Brazil, and maintaining fruit quality during ripening and postharvest handling is critical for market value. In a production area of Alagoas State, fruits at different ripening stages showed unusual symptoms, including liquid exudation from the peel and the formation of gas bubbles, suggesting microbial involvement.
To identify the causal agents, yeast-like fungi were isolated from affected fruit tissues. The isolates were analyzed using morphological characteristics and multilocus sequencing of ITS and LSU regions. The results identified the fungi as belonging to the genera Pseudozyma and Meyerozyma, specifically Pseudozyma sp. and Meyerozyma caribbica. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that both microorganisms were capable of inducing similar symptoms in healthy pineapple fruits.
The findings demonstrate that these yeast-like fungi are associated with pineapple fruit collapse, representing the first report of Pseudozyma sp. and M. caribbica causing this disorder in Brazil and globally. This study expands current knowledge of postharvest diseases in pineapple and highlights the need for further research on disease management strategies to reduce quality losses during storage and distribution.
