Assessing the efficacy of essential oil fumigation in mitigating Botrytis cinerea infection in cherry tomato

Abstract

Cherry Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. var. cerasiforme) believed to be the progenitor of modern cultivated tomatoes, is one of the world’s most cultivated and widely consumed vegetables. However, it is very susceptible to fungal (Botrytis cinerea) infection, which decreases shelf life, and increases post-harvest loss. Postharvest loss and lower quality of fruit decrease the economic value of the crop or may make it unsuitable for human consumption and affect farmer profit. Therefore, an effective method is needed to reduce tomato’s post-harvest loss. This study aims to assess the efficacy of Zingiber officinale oil and Piper nigrum oil in controlling fungal disease in tomato fruit. The antifungal activity of essential oil was evaluated using the essential oil fumigation method. The result showed that essential oil significantly inhibits Botrytis cinerea growth as compared to the control. Therefore, essential oil can effectively control the fungal diseases of cherry tomatoes against Botrytis cinerea fruit rot and reduce the post-harvest loss of tomatoes.