Controlling Fusarium oxysporum Tomato Fruit Rot under Tropical Condition Using Both Chitosan and Vanillin

Abstract

Tomato Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. is one of the most cultivated and widely consumed vegetables in the world. However, it is very susceptible to the infection initiated by Fusariumoxysporum fruit rot, which shortens post-harvest life and thus reduces market value. This disease can be regulated appropriately by the application of synthetic fungicides. However, chemical fungicides constitute a serious health risk, and have harmful environment effects and increase disease resistance, even when microbes are dead. Hence, to overcome this problem, chitosan and vanillin, which have antimicrobial bioactive properties against the growth of microorganisms, could be an alternative to disease control, while maintaining fruit quality and prolonging shelf life. The aim of this research was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of chitosan and vanillin towards the inoculate pathogen and to investigate the effect of chitosan and vanillin coating in vivo on Fusarium oxysporum fruit rot and defense-related enzymes (PAL, PPO and POD). Chitosan and vanillin in aqueous solutions, i.e., 0.5% chitosan + 10 mM vanillin, 1% chitosan + 10 mM vanillin, 1.5% chitosan + 10 mM vanillin, 0.5% chitosan + 15 mM vanillin, 1% chitosan + 15 mM vanillin and 1.5% chitosan + 15 mM vanillin, were used as edible coatings on tomatoes stored at 26 ± 2 °C and 60 ± 5 relative humidity. The result revealed 1.5% chitosan + 15 mM vanillin was able to control disease incidence by 70.84% and severity by 70%. These combinations of coatings were also able to retain phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), peroxidase activity (POD), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzyme activities as well as prolong shelf life of tomatoes up to 15 days.

Post-harvest Management of Alternaria Induced Rot in Tomato Fruits With Essential Oil of Zanthoxylum armatum DC

“…Furthermore, A. alternata becomes aggressive when the fruit develops injury or becomes debilitated during prolonged storage. Environmental factors have been shown to play crucial role in the development of fungal pathogens in fruits (Davari et al, 2020;Safari et al, 2021). Among these fungal pathogens, tomato fruit rot induced by Alternaria spp.…”

Exogenous melatonin improves the resistance to cucumber bacterial angular leaf spot caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. Lachrymans

“…POD activity was examined at 470 nm according to the method reported by Cakmak and Marschner (1992), using guaiacol as a substrate. The extraction and determination of the phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL) were conducted using the method reported by Safari et al (2021). The polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity was determined using the previously reported method (Li et al, 2021).…”

Edible coating as postharvest management strategy for shelf‐life extension of fresh tomato (Solanum lycopersicumL.): An overview

“…Various reports show that edible coatings are effective in reducing the ethylene production in tomato. A study conducted by Safari et al (2021) 2018) also reported that chitosan coating when applied on tomato was effective in lowering the ethylene rate by 41% as compared to uncoated samples during storage of 14 days at 20 • C (RH 85%).…”

“…Tomato is more prone to postharvest fungal as well as bacterial decay because of higher water activity, favorable pH, and nutrient richness that serve as growth factors for microorganisms (Safari et al., 2021). The bacterial spoilage is characterized by appearance of soft and sour rot on the surface of tomato.…”