title: In vitro control of post-harvest fruit rot fungi by some plant essential oil components.
abstract: 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 results represent an important step toward the goal to use some essential oils or their components as natural preservatives for fruits and foodstuffs, due to their safety for consumer healthy and positive effect on shelf life extension of agricultural fresh products.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Plant Protection and Agro-Forestry Biotechnology, Basilicata University, Viale dell'Ateneo Lucano, 10-85100, Potenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Ippolito
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8099-8234
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Camele
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Plant Protection and Agro-Forestry Biotechnology, Basilicata University, Viale dell'Ateneo Lucano, 10-85100, Potenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Altieri
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Salerno University, Fisciano, Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Martino
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Salerno University, Fisciano, Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1070-3207
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Feo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Salerno University, Fisciano, Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Plant Protection and Agro-Forestry Biotechnology, Basilicata University, Viale dell'Ateneo Lucano, 10-85100, Potenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Gian Luigi
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Rana
mesh_terms: D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D020171:Botrytis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D000081005:Cyclohexane Monoterpenes; D000081007:Cymenes; D005638:Fruit / Q000382:microbiology*; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010407:Penicillium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010838:Phytophthora / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D012233:Rhizopus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D013943:Thymol / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds; D000081005:Cyclohexane Monoterpenes; D000081007:Cymenes; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D013729:Terpenes; D013943:Thymol; C010789:beta-pinene; C018669:gamma-terpinene; C073316:carvacrol; C007076:citral