STUDIES OF CRANBERRIES DURING STORAGE. 



89 



weeks, and the sound berries selected for each keeping test were divided 

 into two lots, one of which was kept at room temperature and the other 

 at a constant temperature of 20° C. The only considerable difference in 

 the results due to the difference in method is that the number of sterile 

 (i.e., apparently smothered) berries was smaller during the season of 

 1917-18. In this respect the results of the second year are more reliable. 

 Storing the berries at a constant temperature (20° C.) apparently changed 

 the results little, which indicates that, in so far as concerns the Icinds and 

 abundance of the fungi which developed, those obtained in 1916 wth the 

 berries stored at room temperature are satisfactory. 



More than a dozen species of fungi occurred in the cultures made during 

 the first season. Of these, seven are known to be more or less important 

 causes of decay of cranberries in storage, namely, Guignardia vaccinii 

 Shear (early rot); Glomeretla cingulata vaccinii Shear (bitter rot); Fusi- 

 coccnm putrefaciens Shear (end rot) ; Ceuthospora lunata Shear (black rot) ; 

 Sporonema oxycocci Shear (ripe rot); Penicilliwn spp. (soft rot); and 

 Phomopsis sp. Table I shows the relative prevalence of the four most 

 abundant of these fungi in terms of the percentage of the total number of 

 spoiled berries. Occasionally the percentages recorded total more than 

 100, an apparent discrepancy which is accounted for by the fact that two 

 or more fungi frequently develop from a single berry. 



Table I. — Most Important Fungi causing Storage Rot of Cranberries at 

 Massachusetts State Experiment Bog, East Wareham, 1916. 



[Figures indicate per cent of total spoiled berries infected with each fungus.] 



