Purpose: Stem-end rot (SER) is a major disease of mango that causes serious postharvest losses. Application of fungicides is environmentally unsound and is being practiced currently in its control. This study was conducted to develop essential oil treatment systems as eco-friendly strategies to control SER of Karthakolomban mango and to determine the pathogenicity of several SER associated fungi.Research Method: Pathogenicity of four fungal isolates in SER was assessed by inoculating them on Karthakolomban mango fruits. Karthakolomban mango fruits were subjected to spray and fumigation treatments using four essential oils and their pathological, physicochemical and sensory properties were evaluated after a 8-day storage at 12 -14 ºC.Findings: Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Pestalotiopsis sp., Phomopsis sp. and Xylaria feejeensis were the major SER pathogens of mango. X. feejeensis was identifi ed as a SER pathogen for the fi rst time in Sri Lanka. Spray and fumigation treatments conducted using basil, clove, cinnamon leaf and cinnamon bark oils eff ectively controlled SER of Karthakolomban mango stored at 12 -14 ºC for 8 days. Mango sprayed with 1.6 µL/mL cinnamon bark oil has displayed no SER after induced ripening. None of the treatments caused drastic alterations in physicochemical and sensory properties of mango.Research Limitations: Storage period of mango was restricted to 8 days due to the initiation of natural ripening which was the major limitation to achieving a further enhanced shelf life.Originality/value: The treatment strategies developed by this research could be commercialized as biosafe SER control strategies in reducing postharvest losses of mango in the local and international trade. *Percentage Stem-End Rot; Each data point represents the mean of eight replicates ± standard error. 1 Means sharing a common letter(s) are not signifi cantly diff erent by Tukey's pair-wise comparison test at p < 0.05. 2 Means sharing a common letter(s) are not signifi cantly diff erent by Kruskal Wallis non-parametric test at p < 0.05.

Purpose: Stem-end rot (SER) is an endophytic fungal infection of avocado causing significant postharvest losses, affecting its marketability. This study was conducted to identify effective concentrations of selected eco-friendly essential oils and chemicals to control SER pathogens by conducting in vitro bioassays and to develop treatments to control SER in naturally infected avocado (cv. Pollock) using less hazardous alternatives to synthetic fungicides. Research Method:In vitro disc volatilization and poison food bioassays were conducted to identify inhibitory concentrations of some essential oils and chemicals against SER pathogens. Avocado fruits were subjected to eco-friendly fumigation and dip treatments and their pathological, physicochemical and sensory properties were assessed after 7 days of storage at 15 °C. Findings: Disc volatilization bioassay revealed that 5 µL/plate clove oil was most effective againstLasiodiplodia theobromae, Diaporthe nelumbonis and Fusarium oxysporum. According to Poisoned food bioassay, 5% (w/v) sodium bicarbonate and 0.07% (v/v) acetic acid were highly effective against the test pathogens. SER incidence of avocado fruits has been successfully delayed for 7 days after subjecting to fumigation treatment with clove oil and dip treatments with sodium bicarbonate and acetic acid, followed by storage at 15 °C. None of the treatments adversely affected physicochemical and sensory properties of avocado.Originality/Value: Treatments could be further improved by conducting a medium-scale in vivo trial to obtain good quality avocado with higher consumer acceptance.

Karutha Colomban is one of the most delightful mango varieties popular among Sri Lankan consumers. A signifi cant postharvest loss of mango takes place every season due to diseases including stem-end rot (SER), which is caused by a group of endophytic fungal pathogens. In this research, in vitro antifungal effi cacy of diff erent concentrations of essential oils of basil, clove, and cinnamon were evaluated for their ability to control SER causing fungal pathogens of mango (cv. Karutha Colomban) as bio-safe alternatives to conventional fungicides, by conducting liquid and disc volatilisation bioassays. Major bioactive compounds of the selected essential oils were identifi ed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Basil and cinnamon bark oils (0.20-0.30 μL/mL) in liquid bioassay showed high effi cacy against Lasiodiplodia theobromae, while basil and cinnamon leaf oils (0.40-0.60 μL/mL) successfully inhibited Pestalotiopsis sp. Cinnamon bark oil (0.60 μL/mL) was identifi ed as the most eff ective oil against Phomopsis sp. According to disc volatilisation bioassay, vapour of cinnamon oils (0.20-0.40 μL/mL) was the most eff ective in controlling L. theobromae. Pestalotiopsis sp. was effi ciently controlled by clove and cinnamon bark oil (0.20-0.60 μL/mL) vapour. In vapour phase, clove and cinnamon oils (0.40 μL/mL) were the most eff ective against Phomopsis sp. According to GC-MS characterisation, methyl chavicol was the most abundant antifungal component in basil oil while it was (E)-cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon bark oil. Moreover, eugenol displayed the highest abundance in clove and cinnamon leaf oils. Based on in vitro studies, it could be concluded that cinnamon bark oil in liquid and vapour phases demonstrated a higher antifungal effi cacy among the tested essential oils in controlling fungal pathogens causing SER of mango.

Endophytic fungi are a diverse group of microorganisms that live asymptomatically in healthy tissues of host and they have been reported from all kinds of plant tissues such as leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and fruits. In this study, fungal endophytes associated with tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) were collected from Kandy, Kegalle, and Nuwara Eliya districts in Sri Lanka and were isolated, characterized, and identified. A total of twenty endophytic fungal isolates belonging to five genera were recovered and ITS-rDNA sequence data were used to identify them. All isolated endophytic fungal strains belong to the phylum Ascomycota and the majority of these isolates were identified as Colletotrichum species. Phyllosticta capitalensis was the most commonly found fungal endophyte in tea leaves and was recorded in all three districts where the samples were collected. This is the very first investigation on fungal endophytes associated with C. sinensis in Sri Lanka based on molecular sequence data. In addition, a comprehensive account of known endophytic fungi reported worldwide on Camellia sinensis is provided.

Highlights• Aloe vera gel and cinnamon oils control stem-end rot of mango cv. 'Karthakoloban' stored at 12 -14 ℃.• Aloe vera gel coatings extend the storage life of mango cv. 'Karthakolomban' up to ten days.• Treatments do not adversely affect the physicochemical and sensory properties.• Treatments are harmless to the consumer as well as the environment.

Purpose:The availability of fresh Citrus fruits is limited by their susceptibility to invasion by microbial pathogens which leads to cause serious postharvest losses. The present study was carried out to isolate and morphologically identify postharvest fungal associations from selected Citrus fruit species (C. sinensis, C. limon, C. crenatifolia and C. medica) and to confirm their identity by molecular characterization.Research Method: Postharvest fungal associations of selected Citrus fruit species were isolated, and identification was done based on morphological characteristics. Confirmation of fungal associations was done through phylogenetic analysis of newly generated ITS sequencing data. Further, frequency of occurrence of each fungal isolate was calculated in three different districts in Sri Lanka.Findings: From the morphological and molecular identification, Collectrichum fructicola, Collectrichum gloeosporioides, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Aspergillus niger and Pestalotiopsis sp. were recorded from C. sinensis. Neofusicoccum parvum, Collectrichum gigasporium and Aspergillus clavatus were isolated from C. crenatifolia. Further, Lasiodiplodia theobromae and L. pseudotheobromae were the only fungal association isolated from C. limon and C. medica fruit species, respectively. It is worthwhile noting that this is the first report of association of the C. gigasporium and Pestalotiopsis sp. from Citrus fruits in Sri Lanka.Research Limitations: Since this research was mainly focused on the isolation and identification of the potential fungal associations, pathogenicity evaluation could not be carried out.Originality/value: Findings of potential disease causative agents in citrus will be valuable for agriculture sector, to adopt and practice effective strategies to minimize postharvest losses of citrus fruits.

Mangifera indica L. (cultivar Karthakolomban) is more prone to stem-end rot (SER) disease that causes substantial postharvest losses in quality as well as quantity. The objective of this study was to use aqueous emulsions of basil (1.6 µL/mL), clove (2.0 µL/mL), cinnamon leaf (2.0 µL/mL) and cinnamon bark (1.6 µL/mL) oils as sprays with passive modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in low density polyethylene (LDPE) bags as a bio-safe strategy to control SER of 'Karthakolomban' mango stored at 12-14 °C and 85-90% of relative humidity. Distilled water and 0.1% (w/v) carbendazim 50WP treatments were used as negative and positive controls respectively. In-package respiratory gases were measured during storage for 8 days. Pathological, physicochemical, sensory properties and peel color of mango were assessed after ripening fruits at the end of the storage period. All essential oil treatments combined with passive MAP significantly reduced SER severity of mango more than 93% when compared to the negative control without adversely affecting peel colour and some physicochemical properties like total soluble solids and firmness. Mango fruits treated with basil, clove and cinnamon leaf oils obtained a higher preference by the sensory panel than other treatments. Inpackage O2 concentration was at 3.8-5.8%, while CO2 was at 4.3-5.0% at the end of the 8-day storage period. Respiratory gas levels attained a steady state equilibrium which resulted in extending the shelf life. Further, T1, T2 and T3 treatments can be commercialized as eco-friendly treatment strategies to be used during transportation and storage of mango in local trade within one week and for exportation via air cargo that takes approximately 2-3 days.