Johanny Castro Chinchilla

Biography

As an undergraduate student and during my first years as an agronomist, I performed research and participated in extension programs focused on maximizing productivity in tropical crops. Recently, I participated in different projects aimed to improve the postharvest quality of fresh produce. This background increased my interest in achieving a better comprehension of the dynamics of pathogens in postharvest environments, and how this can help to improve or adopt new cost-effective management strategies of postharvest molds and rots.

By combining chemical, biological and cultural practices, fruit and vegetables decay can be reduced. However, a better understanding of the biology, physiology, and pathogenicity of spoilage microorganisms is necessary if cost-effective management practices are to be adopted by growers.

Research interests

•         Management strategies to reduce postharvest rots and molds
•         Biology and physiology of food spoilage microorganisms
•         Control of postharvest rots in pome fruits
•         Use of scientific information to design cost-effective plant disease management strategies

My research focuses on investigating the sources and fungicide resistance profile of fungi causing postharvest rots on apples, with emphasis on Penicillium spp. (blue mold). I am also interested in identifying other species that could be frequent pathogens of stored apples in the Mid-Atlantic (Pennsylvania and Maryland). My research also includes testing alternatives to synthetic fungicides, in order to offer management practices that apple growers can combine with chemical control or use as substitutes of postharvest synthetic fungicides.

Publications

Peer reviewed publications:

Luciano-Rosario, D., Castro, J., Peter, K.A., Fonseca, J.M., Gaskins, V.L., and Jurick II, W.M. 2025. Mold in, mold out: Harvest bins harbor viable inoculum that can be reduced using novel sanitation methods to manage blue mold decay of apples. Postharvest Biology and Technology. 221: 113323.

Ramírez-Sánchez, M., Castro-Chinchilla, J., Sáenz-Murillo, M.V., and Umaña-Rojas, G. 2024. Postharvest quality of yam (Dioscorea alata L.) in Costa Rica: Factors that affect during curing and tuber storage. Agronomía Costarricense. 48(2): 95-110.

Solano-Maroto, J., Sáenz-Murillo, M.V., Castro-Chinchilla, J., and Ramírez-Sánchez, M. 2021. Efecto del retraso entre la cosecha y el inicio de enfriamiento sobre la calidad de frutos de piña. Agronomía Costarricense 45(1): 115-127.

Cerdas-Araya, M. and Castro-Chinchilla, J. 2017.  Postharvest characterization of tacaco (Sechium tacaco (Pittier) fruits in Cartago, Costa Rica. Agronomía Mesoamericana 28(1): 141-148.

Castro, J. and Umaña, G. 2015.  Populations and identification of fungi causing postharvest molds on pineapple peduncles in two regions in Costa Rica. Agronomía Costarricense 39(3): 61-77.

Castro, J., and Umaña, G. 2017.  Frequency of fungi associated to molds in the pedunculus on pineapples from two regions of Costa Rica. Agronomía Costarricense 41(2): 17-25.

Ulloa, L., Sáenz, M.V., and Castro, J. 2015.  Effect of storage at different temperatures on external color and quality of pineapple fruits cv. Gold Extrasweet. Agronomía Costarricense 39(3): 9-20.

Symposium proceedings and abstracts

Peter, K. and Castro, J. 2024. Postharvest apple diseases: a gauge for tree health in Mid-Atlantic USA apple orchards? IX International Postharvest Symposium. Rotorua, New Zealand, November 11-15, 2024.

Castro, J., Robidoux, N., Hartsock, J., Jurick II, W.M., and Peter, K.A. 2023. Systematic monitoring of fungicide resistance in multiple postharvest apple pathogens in the Mid-Atlantic area. Proceedings of the 99th Annual Cumberland-Shenandoah Fruit Workers Conference. Winchester, VA. pp. 45-51.

Castro, J., Jurick II, W.M., and Peter, K.A. 2022. Making the case for packinghouse sanitation: A multi year survey of inoculum sources in the Mid-Atlantic apple fruit production and storage chain. Phytopathology 112(11S) S3.24.

Castro, J., Jurick II, W.M., and Peter, K.A. 2020.Investigating sources and fungicide resistance profiles for apple rot fungi in commercial apple production to aid postharvest decay management. Plant Health 2020 Supplement 110 No 12S.

Castro, J. and Peter, K. 2020. Investigating sources for postharvest apple rot fungi in the field and packhouse: conceptual framework and preliminary results. Proceedings of the 95^th Annual Cumberland-Shenandoah Fruit Workers Conference. pp. 52-56.

Castro-Chinchilla, J. and Umaña-Rojas, G. 2019. Yeasts and bacteria associated with pineapple fruit during postharvest handling. Acta Horticulturae 1239: 77-84

Sabater-Vilar, M., Suñé-Colell, E., Castro-Chinchilla, J., and Sáenz-Murillo, M.V. 2018.  Reduction of postharvest rotting with an ethylene absorbent: a case study with pineapple. Acta Horticulturae 1194: 721-728.

Extension publications

Castro, J., Robidoux, N., Hartsock, J., Jurick II, W.M., and Peter, K. 2024. Investigating fungicide sensitivity in postharvest apple decay fungi in the Mid-Atlantic. Pennsylvania Fruit News. 104: 20-24.

Castro, J., Hartsock, J., and Peter, K. 2023.Problem postharvest rots lurking: Investigating Alternaria rot and Bull's eye rot in PA and MD packinghouses. Pennsylvania Fruit News 103(1): 21-25.

Castro, J. and Peter, K. 2022. Identification, fungicide resistance profile, and management alternatives of pathogens causing postharvest rots on apples in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Fruit News 102(1): 18-23.

Castro, J. and Peter, K. 2021.Identification and fungicide resistance profile of pathogens causing postharvest rots on apples in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Fruit News 101(1): 45-47.

Castro, J. and Peter, K. 2020. Investigating and understanding different sources for fruit rot fungi in the packhouse and field to better control postharvest decay of stored apple. Pennsylvania Fruit News. 100 (1): 29-31.

Humphreys, D., Flores, L., and Castro, J. 2018. Yam tuber deterioration caused by plant-parasitic nematodes. In Spanish. Fittacori-University of Costa Rica. Available at: https://www.fittacori.or.cr/contenido/deterioro-de-la-calidad-de-tuberculos-de-name-por-nematodos-fitoparasitos/