title: Synergistic effect of oligochitosan and silicon on inhibition of Monilinia fructicola infections.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oligochitosan has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and shows an obvious inhibitory effect on phytopathogens. In addition, as an exogenous elicitor, it can induce various defence responses, including affecting the activities of several defence-related enzymes and substances in some plants. Owing to this dual function of oligochitosan, it can be used to control postharvest diseases of fruits. Silicon, like oligochitosan, also has a dual function. In this study the synergistic effect of oligochitosan and silicon on the decay control of apple fruit was investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In vitro, both oligochitosan and silicon significantly inhibited spore germination, germ tube elongation and mycelial growth of Monilinia fructicola, with higher concentrations having a greater effect. The synergistic effect of oligochitosan and silicon at half-maximal inhibitory concentration on disease control at 25 degrees C was much better than the effect of oligochitosan or silicon alone, not only in vitro but also in vivo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that a combination of oligochitosan and silicon had a synergistic effect on the control of disease caused by M. fructicola in apple fruit at 25 degrees C.
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China.
authors.forename: Lingyu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Pan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Itoolwa
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Filippus
authors.forename: Xianghong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Meng
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002686:Chitin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D048271:Chitosan; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods; D005638:Fruit / Q000382:microbiology; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D027845:Malus / Q000382:microbiology*; D025282:Mycelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D012825:Silicon / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D009844:Oligosaccharides; C493484:oligochitosan; D002686:Chitin; D048271:Chitosan; D012825:Silicon