title: Effect of citronella essential oil on the inhibition of postharvest Alternaria alternata in cherry tomato.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Essential oils such as citronella oil exhibit antifungal activity and are potential alternative inhibitors to chemical synthetic fungicides for controlling postharvest diseases. In this study the antifungal activity of citronella oil against Alternaria alternata was investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In vitro, citronella oil showed strong inhibition activity against A. alternata. The minimum inhibitory concentration in potato dextrose agar and potato dextrose broth medium was determined as 1 and 0.8 µL mL(-1) respectively. In vivo the disease incidence of Lycopersicon esculentum (cherry tomato) treated with citronella oil was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced compared with the control after 5 days of storage at 25 °C and 95% relative humidity. The disease incidence at oil concentrations of 0.2-1.5 µL mL(-1) was 88-48%. The most effective dosage of the oil was 1.5 µL mL(-1), with 52% reduction, and the oil had no negative effect on fruit quality. Scanning electron microscopy observation revealed considerably abnormal mycelial morphology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Citronella oil can significantly inhibit A. alternata in vitro and in vivo and has potential as a promising natural product for controlling black rot in cherry tomato.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-Food Processing, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Fuli Institute of Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
authors.forename: Qianru
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shixiang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Sha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sha
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000528:Alternaria / Q000187:drug effects*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D005519:Food Preservation; D005638:Fruit / Q000382:microbiology*; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000382:microbiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010938:Plant Oils; C076730:citronella oil
keywords: Alternaria alternata; antifungal activity; cherry tomato; citronella oil