Abstract:Borytis cinerea is responsible for the most postharvest losses of table grape. In the current research, the effect of essential oils extracted from sweet basil, fennel, summer savory and thyme plants were investigated both on mycelial growth of B. cinerea under in vitro condition and on fungal decay and quality sensors of table grape [Vitis vinifera (L.) cv. Tabarzeh] under in vivo conditions.Results showed that essential oils especially thyme, fennel and summer savory oils had a high inhibitory effect on mycelial growth of B. cinerea. Under in vivo assays, thyme and summer savory oils were able to reduce fungal decay sensory on table grape after 60 days of storage. In addition, essential oils had significant efficacy on quality parameters of fruit reducing a weight loss, berry shrinkage and berry and rachis browning. Also essential oil treatment increased the maturity index levels in treated fruits in comparison with controls. GC/MS analysis showed that linalool (65.25%), trans-anethole (64.72%), carvacrol (54.14%) and β-ocimene (12.62%) were the main compounds identified in sweet basil, fennel, summer savory and thyme oils, respectively. Results obtained from presented study showed that essential oils especially these one containing more phenolic compounds had a great antifungal activity and could be used as a benefit and safe tool for preservation of table grape.

In this study, antifungal activities of Thymus vulgaris L., Eugenia caryophyllata L., Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume and Carum copticum L. essential oils against Monilinia fructicola and Botrytis cinerea, two important postharvest pathogens of stone fruit, were investigated under in vivo studies. Results showed that the essential oil treatments, especially T. vulgaris and E. caryophyllata oils, had a good antifungal activity in reduction of both disease incidence and disease severity of brown and gray mold rots caused by M. fructicola and B. cinerea on apricots, respectively. Gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry analysis of tested essential oils showed that thymol (37.55%), eugenol (48.76%), cinnamaldehyde (90.33%) and thymol (50.88%) were the main components of T. vulgaris, E. caryophyllata, C. zeylanicum, C. copticum oils, respectively. Application of C. copticum and E. caryophyllata oils on apricot fruit showed a significant effect on fruit quality retention as evaluated with weight loss (%), fruit firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acidity and maturity index in sensory parameters. These results revealed that T. vulgaris and E. caryophyllata oils could be natural alternatives to fungicides in the control of M. fructicola and B. cinerea infections.

In order to evaluate the effect of irrigation intervals and cattle manure levels on morphological traits, essential oil content and yield of oregano, an experiment was conducted at the experimental Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Iran. The experimental design was split-plots, arranged in randomized complete blocks with three replications. Main plots including irrigation intervals (1, 2 and 3 weeks) and four levels of cattle manure at 0, 10, 20 and 30 t ha -1 were allocated to sub plots. Our resultsshowed that increasing irrigation intervals reduced values of all morphological traits except for proportion of stems. Also, values for stems number, plant spread, stem diameter, leaf area, fresh and dry herb yield increased by increasing cattle manure levels. On the other hand, morphological traits not influenced by interaction of treatments except for plant spread and leaf area. The highest essential oil content (2.07%) and yield (66.62 kg ha -1 ) obtained in highest irrigation intervals and cattle manure levels. Whereas, 1 week irrigation interval without use of cattle manure produce lowest essential oil content (1.55%). For essential oil yield, the lowest value (46.37 kg ha -1 ) was found in 2 weeks irrigation interval with application of 20 t ha -1 cattle manure.

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The antifungal activity of essential oils of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), summer savory (Satureja hortensis L.) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) against two well‐known postharvest fungi, Penicillium digitatum and Rhizopus stolonifer, by poison food medium (0, 200, 400, 600, 800 and 1,000 µL/L) and vapor phase (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 40 µL) methods were assayed. The results showed that in poison food medium thyme oil had greatest antifungal activity against P. digitatum and R. stolonifer at 1,000 and ≥600 µL/L, respectively. In vapor phase, thyme oil at ≥5 µL completely inhibited the mycelial growth of pathogens. Summer savory oil at ≥600 µL/L had a significant inhibitory effect on mycelial growth of R. stolonifer. Fennel oil showed the lowest antifungal activity against the pathogens. All the essential oil treatments completely inhibited the growth of R. stolonifer in vapor phase method. Also R. stolonifer were more sensitive against the essential oils. Gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry analysis showed that main compounds identified in sweet basil, fennel, summer savory and thyme oils were linalool (65.25%), trans‐anethole (64.42%), carvacrol (54.14%) and β‐ocimene (12.62%), respectively. Therefore, thyme and summer savory oils have a promising potential to use antifungal agent against fruit and vegetable fungi. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The results of this work show that thyme, summer savory and fennel oils have a high potential to be used as an antifungal agents for control of postharvest phytopatogenic fungi especially in vapor phase method. Therefore, essential oils as safe aromatic compounds that do have not negative effects on human health and environment may be used as a novel and practical tool for preservation of postharvest quality of horticultural crops and are suitable alternative for synthetic fungicides.

The antifungal activity of the essential oils of ajowan, fennel and caraway was evaluated in vitro and in vivo conditions against growth of Alternaria alternata (Fr.: Fr.) Keissler. and Penicillium digitatum Sacc., two postharvest pathogens of tomato fruits. In vitro tests showed that ajowan and fennel oils exhibited the highest antifungal activity against A. alternata and P. digitatum, respectively. But caraway exhibited poor antifungal activity against two fungal species tested. Ajowan oil possessed the highest antifungal activity among tested oils in in vivo condition. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of essential oils revealed that thymol (63%), trans‐anethole (64%) and 2‐caren‐10‐al (34%) were the main components of essential oils of ajowan, fennel and caraway, respectively. Therefore, essential oils may be used as an alternative for the synthetic chemicals for control of postharvest phytopathogenic fungi and for increasing the shelf life of plant products. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Because the plant essential oils have low mammalian toxicity, are biodegradable, multifunctional, nonpersistent in the environment and are cheap to produce, the possibility of developing essential oils for use in crop protection may be an attractive venture. This study demonstrates the potential of essential oils as antifungal preservatives for tomato fruits that are susceptible to postharvest decay caused by fungi. Examination of various concentrations of essential oils from ajowan (Carum copticum L.), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) and caraway (Carum carvi L.) on Penicillium digitatum and Alternaria alternata in this study showed promising prospects for the utilization of essential oils. In vivo experiments showed that essential oils used could reduce postharvest diseases on tomato fruits caused by P. digitatum and A. alternata. So, essential oils can be used as a potential source of sustainable eco‐friendly botanical fungicides, after successful completion of wide‐range trials.

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