| Abstract: In order to prolong the storage period of pumpkin and reduce the influence of microbial corruption, a two-factor variance design was used to compare the sterilization rate of pumpkin surface under different concentrations of sodium hypochlorite solution and different soaking time, so as to determine the best effective sterilization concentration and soaking time. Through the back infection experiment, the dominant fungi causing pumpkin corruption were isolated and purifi ed from rotten pumpkin, and the bactericidal effects of best concentration of sodium hypochlorite and its soaking time were verifi ed. The results showed that the best sterilization condition was to soak sodium hypochlorite solution with effective chlorine concentration of 200 mg/ kg for 10 min. Three dominant spoilage fungi g1, w2, w3 were isolated from spoilage pumpkin, and identifi ed as Aspergillus niger, Stagonosporopsis cucurbitacearum and Cladosporium, respectively. The sterilizing rate of g1, w2 and w3 was 99.1% or more after soaked in sodium hypochlorite solution with 200 mg/kg effective chlorine for 10 min, which could effectively inhibit the growth of microorganisms on pumpkin surface, and could be used as an effective pretreatment method to prolong the storage time of pumpkin. |