Effect of NaHCO₃ treatments on the activity of cell‐wall‐degrading enzymes produced by Penicillium digitatum during the pathogenesis process on grapefruit

BACKGROUND This study was performed to clarify the strategies of Penicillium digitatum during pathogenesis on citrus, assessing, on albedo plugs, the effects of treatment with sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ), at two different pH values (5 and 8.3), on cell‐wall‐degrading enzyme activity over a period of 72 h. RESULTS Treatment with NaHCO 3 , under alkaline pH, delayed the polygalacturonase activity for 72 h, or 48 h in the case of the pectin...