Evaluation of Different Essential Oils for Antifungal Activity on Postharvest Decay of Avocado (Persea Americana Mill.) of Sikkim, India

Abstract

Commercially available essential oils of Basil oil, Clove oil, Citronella oil, Ginger oil and methanol extracted fern oil, Artemisia oil, and Stinging nettle oil were tested for growth inhibitions of two fungi isolated from infected avocado fruit from Sikkim, India which were identified as Fusarium sp. and  Penicillium digitatum on the basis of colony morphology and microscopic examination. Inhibitory effect of essential oils was investigated by well diffusion method by applying different concentration of essential oils along with positive control taken as Bavistin and negative control deionized water. The results demonstrated that Fern and Clove oil showed the considerable effects against both the fungus. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of essential oils was also evaluated by spore germination assay and the result demonstrated that the MIC value of Fern oil against Penicillium digitatum and Fusarium sp. were 400 ppm. Similarly, Clove oil showed MIC value of 600 ppm against both the isolated fungus. Furthermore, in vivo analysis of fern and clove oil showed that the reductions of disease incidence in avocado fruit were 40% and 45% at a concentration of 400 ppm respectively. Our results suggested that the Fern oil (Gymnocarpium dryopteris) and Clover oil (Syzygium aromaticum) were a better option against chemical fungicides to prevent postharvest loss of Avocado fruit.

Keywords: Postharvest decay, avocado fruit, essential oil, antifungal activity

Cite this Article

Barsha Sunar, Saurav Das, Pinkey Lhamu Lepcha, Mingma Thundu Sherpa, Laxuman Sharma. Evaluation of Different Essential Oils for Antifungal Activity on Postharvest Decay of Avocado (Persea Americana Mill.) of Sikkim, India. Research & Reviews: A Journal of Life Sciences. 2019; 9(2): 44–51p.