Evaluation of Plant Essential Oils for Control of Postharvest Brown and Gray Mold Rots on Apricot

Abstract

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.

The control of Botrytis fruit rot in strawberry using combined treatments of Chitosan with Zataria multiflora or Cinnamomum zeylanicum essential oil

“…In agreement with the results obtained in this study, other studies have reported that the application of CS and EOs alone or in combination as a coating material preserved or improved the physical and physicochemical quality of fruits (Hassani et al 2012;Perdones et al 2012). For example, Xing et al (2011) showed that the use of coatings composed of CS (10, 000 ppm) and CEO (2500 ppm) was effective in reducing the microbial deterioration of sweet peppers throughout 35 days of storage at room temperature.…”

Fungicidal Activity of Essential Oils from Cinnamomum cassia against the Pathogenic Fungi of Panax notoginseng Diseases

“…According to the reports, the inhibitory mechanism of trans ‐cinnamaldehyde may be that the CHO group was hydrophilic, which could easily absorb the hydrophilic group on the surface of bacteria or fungi and penetrate into the cell wall. The destruction of the outer membrane enhanced cell membrane permeability, causing material run off and resulting in cell death . At present, many experiments have indicated that trans ‐cinnamaldehyde has good antifungal effect.…”

Efficiency of Artemisia nilagirica (Clarke) Pamp. essential oil as a mycotoxicant against postharvest mycobiota of table grapes

“…exert different biological actions on the physiological behaviour of postharvest pathogens . To establish the fungicidal properties of essential oils, several investigations have been conducted over the past few years, and there are a number of reports evincing the application of essential oils for the control of storage moulds …”