Exploitation of natural products as an alternative strategy to control postharvest fungal rotting of fruit and vegetables (original) (raw)
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This article provides a state-of-the-art review of fungicides that are commonly used before harvest in conventional agriculture to prolong the storage of fresh commodities, and of the alternatives to fungicides recently made available for plant protection. Findings: Considering the high percentage of postharvest loss of fruit due to pathogen spoilage and the frequent development of pathogen isolates that are resistant to one or more active ingredients, alternatives to synthetic fungicides are needed. This review compares the current practices in conventional agriculture that are used to control postharvest rot of fruit with the alternatives to synthetic fungicides that are now available. The review summarizes the different fungicides and the corresponding alternatives, such as natural compounds, decontaminating agents that are 'generally recognized as safe', and biological control agents that have been applied in smallscale and large-scale tests. For some cultivated crops, including strawberries, table grapes, and stone and pome fruits, we include the time and method of application of preharvest treatments that can be applied to preserve fruit quality during storage. Limitations/implications: Even considering the research efforts in the search for alternatives to fungicides, at present there are few natural compounds that are as effective as fungicides. However, according to integrated pest management, to overcome the drawbacks that can arise with the use of a single strategy, an integration of methods might provide additive or synergistic effects for disease control. Directions for future research: Further insight at the molecular level into the interactions between host plants and chemicals applied will help us to better understand the changes that occur in host plants following treatments, or the effects of the treatments on the pathogens. This new knowledge will optimize the treatment application to provide the greatest effects with the minimum number/ time/ concentration of treatments applied.
The Use of Fungicide Alternatives for Controlling Postharvest Decay of Strawberry and Orange Fruits
Journal of Plant Protection Research, 2008
Control measures of postharvest diseases of strawberry and navel orange fruits using hydrogen peroxide, calcium chloride and chitosan were evaluated under in vitro and in vivo conditions. All tested concentrations of chemicals used were able to reduce the linear growth and spore germination of B. cinerea; R. stolonifer; P. digitatum and P. italicum. Complete inhibition of linear growth and spore germination was obtained with concentrations of 1.5 and 2.0% of all treatments. Under storage conditions, significant reduction in descending order of mould incidence was observed in strawberry and orange fruits treated with ascending concentrations of calcium chloride, hydrogen peroxide and chitosan. Obtained data revealed significant reduction in mould incidence in fruits when treated by calcium chloride and chitosan 12h before artificial inoculation with the mould pathogens, while hydrogen peroxide showed the opposite result. The present study demonstrated that the application of hydrogen peroxide is superior to treatment with calcium chloride or chitosan enhanced the control activity against mould pathogens which as it expressed was as either percentage of diseased fruits or decay development as rotted tissue weight of strawberry and navel orange. The applied tested chemical might act as contact and systemic fungicides which have a protective or therapeutic effect.
2012
Two alcoholic extracts from Capsicum frutescence L. (Chilly) and Zingier officinale L. (Ginger) (ranging between 500 and 3000 ppm) were tested for antifungal activity in vitro on Penicillium digitatum, Aspergillus niger and Fusarium sp isolated from naturally infected citrus fruit. The water extracts served as control and it was observed that the alcoholic extracts concentrations were more effective than the water extract control in showing antifungal activity (P<0.05) against the test pathogens. Results show the alcoholic extract concentrations were more effective than the water extract control in showing antifungal activity (P<0.05) against test pathogens. All 3000ppm concentration from Capsicum frutescence L. and Zingier officinale L. showed a 100% and 85% inhibition zone for all the three fungi respectively. Work is currently focusing on the mechanisms underlying the impacts of plant extracts on disease development with a major contribution to limiting the spread fungi to ...
Biocontrol Agents against Post Harvest Decay in Fruits and Vegetables: A Review
International Journal of Plant & Soil Science
Post harvest losses are the major threats in the supply chain between harvest and consumption which contribute 44% of the total loss of fruits and vegetables. Among the various causes, post harvest diseases are major decay of fruits and vegetables accounting for 20-25% losses. The causative fungus belonging to both biotrophic and necrotrophic nature belongs to the genera of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Botrytis, etc. Management of post harvest diseases by conventional chemicals is not preferred due to residual effects and toxicity. Considering the global demand and consumer awareness about the health effects of pesticides, biocontrol agents are getting attention in recent times for post harvest disease management. BCAs like Trichoderma, Bacillus and Pseudomonas have been explored for successful management of post harvest diseases of citrus, strawberry, tomato, etc. The possible mode actions of the BCAs are competition for nutrients and space, production of antimicrobial compounds, hydr...
Journal of food protection
To evaluate potential alternatives to conventional fungicides to control decay, more than 20 food additives and generally regarded as safe compounds were tested at three concentrations in in vivo primary screenings with several cultivars of California peaches, nectarines. and plums that had been artificially inoculated with seven major postharvest pathogens: Mo,dlinia Jrucricoia, Botrvtis cinerea, Geotricijuin candidum, A iternaria alternata, Pen ic/Ilium expanswn, Mucor piriformis, and Rid--.opus stolonifer. Overall, the best compounds were 200 mM potassium sorhate (PS). 200 niM sodium benzoate (SB). 200 mM sodium sorbate, 100 mM 2-deoxy-o-glucose, 400 mM sodium carbonate, and 250 mM potassium carbonate. Sodium and ammonium molybdates, acid lactic, and hydrogen peroxide were somewhat effective but were phytotoxic to fruit skin tissues. However, the best compounds lacked effectiveness and persistence when tested against brown rot in small-scale trials of 60-s dips in aqueous solutions at ambient temperatures; PS and SB reduced brown rot incidence by less than 40%. Rinsing treated fruit with tap water reduced the efficacy of the compounds by up to 30%. In contrast, heating the solutions to 55 or 60°C significantly increased treatment efficacy. Brown rot incidence and severity were reduced by 35 and 25%. respectively, on PStreated peaches after 7 days of incubation at 20°C. However, treatment efficacy was not superior to that with water alone at these temperatures. In semicommercial trials, mixtures of fludioxonil with PS, SB, or 2-deoxy-o-glucose applied as fruit coatings on a packing line were not synergistic in their effect on brown rot, gray mold, and sour rot.
Modern Fruit Industry [Working Title]
The effectiveness on several fruits by the application of alternative methods against fungi is summarized in the present chapter. Several investigations have reported the efficacy of these technologies for controlling fungal infections. Currently, high post-harvest loses have been reported due to several factors such as inefficient management, lack of training for farmers, and problems with appropriate conditions for storage of fruits and vegetables. Even now, in many countries, post-harvest disease control is led by the application of chemical fungicides. However, in this time, awareness about fungi resistance, environmental, and health issues has led to the research of eco-friendly and effective alternatives for disease management. The pathogen establishment on fruits can be affected by the application of GRAS compounds like chitosan, essential oils, salts, among others; besides, their efficacy can be enhanced by their combination with other technologies like ultrasound. Thus, the applications of these alternatives are suitable approaches for post-harvest management of fruits.
In vitro control of post-harvest fruit rot fungi by some plant essential oil components
International journal of molecular sciences, 2012
Eight substances that are main components of the essential oils from three Mediterranean aromatic plants (Verbena officinalis, Thymus vulgaris and Origanum vulgare), previously found active against some phytopathogenic Fungi and Stramenopila, have been tested in vitro against five etiological agents of post-harvest fruit decay, Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium italicum, P. expansum, Phytophthora citrophthora and Rhizopus stolonifer. The tested compounds were β-fellandrene, β-pinene, camphene, carvacrol, citral, o-cymene, γ-terpinene and thymol. Citral exhibited a fungicidal action against P. citrophthora; carvacrol and thymol showed a fungistatic activity against P. citrophthora and R. stolonifer. Citral and carvacrol at 250 ppm, and thymol at 150 and 250 ppm stopped the growth of B. cinerea. Moreover, thymol showed fungistatic and fungicidal action against P. italicum. Finally, the mycelium growth of P. expansum was inhibited in the presence of 250 ppm of thymol and carvacrol. These r...
Emerging Non-Conventional Technologies for Control of Post Harvest Diseases of Perishables
Considerable amounts of fruits and vegetables are lost to spoilage after harvest. This loss can range from 10-50% depending on the commodity and country. Presently, synthetic chemicals are the primary means of controlling post harvest diseases of fruits and vegetables. Public concern over food safety, however, enunciated interest to find out the effective alternatives to chemical pesticides to control post harvest diseases of perishables. The ultimate aim of recent research in this area has been the development and evaluation of various alternative control strategies to reduce dependency on synthetic fungicides. Currently several promising biological approaches that include the application of microbial antagonists (fungi, bacteria, yeasts), the natural plant based antimicrobial substances (volatile aromatic compounds, acetic acid, jasmonates, glucosinolates, essential oils, plant extracts and propolis), the antimicrobial substances from soil (fusapyrone and deoxyfusapyrone) and the natural animal-based antimicrobial substances like chitosan have been advanced to curb the menaces of post harvest diseases in perishables. Compounds that activate host plant defense responses potentially offer socio-environmentally sound alternative methods for disease control. Combination of the above complementary techniques could well lead to effective control of post harvest diseases. The techniques and practice of using all these non-conventional alternatives is still in its infancy as compared to chemical treatments but the results and progress in this area during the past decade has been remarkable.
Application of essential oils for postharvest control of stem end rot of mango fruits during storage
International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation, 2009
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.