Use of some essential oils as post-harvest botanical fungicides in the management of grey mould of grapes caused by Botrytis cinerea

Abstract

During screening of twenty six essential oils against Botrytis cinerea, the essential oils of the ten plants viz. Chenopodium ambrosioides, Eucalyptus citriodora, Eupatorium cannabinum, Lawsonia inermis, Ocimum canum, O. gratissimum, O. sanctum, Prunus persica, Zingiber cassumunar and Z. officinale were found to exhibit absolute fungitoxic activity (100% growth inhibition). The essential oils of O. sanctum, P. persica and Z. officinale were selected for further investigation because these oils showed lower Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) as compared to the other fungitoxic oils. The selected oils were subsequently standardized through physico-chemical and fungitoxic properties. The MIC values of O. sanctum, P. persica and Z. officinale were found to be 200, 100 and 100 ppm (mg/l) respectively. The oils showed fungistatic nature at their respective MIC. The oils were thermostable, and exhibited a wide range of fungitoxicity against 15 other post-harvest fungal pathogens. The oils had the potency to withstand high inoculum density. The antifungal potency of oils was found to be greater in comparison to some prevalent synthetic fungicides. Practical applicability of the essential oils was observed in control of grey mould of grapes caused by B. cinerea during storage. The O. sanctum-and P. persica-oil-treated grapes showed enhancement of storage life up to 5 and 4 days respectively. The storage life of Z. officinale-oil-treated grapes was found to be enhanced up to 6 days. The oils did not exhibit any phytotoxic effect on the fruit peel. Therefore, the oils could be recommended as a potential source of ecofriendly botanical fungicide, after long term and wide ranging trials.

Avaliação da atividade larvicida do óleo essencial do Zingiber officinale Roscoe (gengibre) frente ao mosquito Aedes aegypti

“…Ao extrair o óleo essencial do rizoma do gengibre, Martins (2010), obteve o rendimento de 0,37% em 4 horas, Tripathi et al (2008) …”

Potential of rosemary leaves and branches to enhance storage life of onion bulbs

“…Although the exploitation of natural products to protect the post-harvest decay of perishable products is in its infancy, these products have the potential to be safe fungicides and will replace the synthetic ones (Tripathi et al, 2008). Our results revealed the importance of rosemary leaves and branches to control post-harvest fungal rotting and to improve the storage times and decrease the weight loss.…”

“…Application of gamma radiation is a common methods for decreasing the weight loss and enhance the percentage of marketable bulbs (Curzio & Croci, 1983), which has high cost and environmental toxicity, while application of some natural products such as flavor compounds, acetic acid, jasmonates, glucosinolates, propolis, fusapyrone and deoxyfusapyrone, chitosan and essential oils for the management of fungal rotting of fruit and vegetables has been developed to minimize the environmental toxicity and storage cost (Tripathi et al, 2008). Although the exploitation of natural products to protect the post-harvest decay of perishable products is in its infancy, these products have the potential to be safe fungicides and will replace the synthetic ones (Tripathi et al, 2008).…”

“…Recently, the exploitation of natural products to control decay and prolong storage life of perishables has received more and more attention (Tripathi et al, 2008). Rosemary has antimicrobial properties and can be important in reducing post-harvest losses of the frequency range of interest.…”

“…Investigation on the mode of action and practical applicability of such plant products is required to recommend their formulation in control of postharvest diseases (Tripathi et al, 2008). Biologically active essential oils represent a rich potential source of an alternative and perhaps environmentally more acceptable disease management compounds.…”