Application of lemongrass oil in vapour phase for the effective control of anthracnose of 'Sekaki' papaya.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the potential use of lemongrass essential oil vapour as an alternative for synthetic fungicides in controlling anthracnose of papaya.


RESULTS
Lemongrass oil used in the study was characterized using gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) before it was tested against anthracnose of papaya in vitro and in vivo. The GC-FID analysis showed that geranial (45·6%) and neral (34·3%) were the major components in lemongrass oil. In vitro study revealed that lemongrass oil vapour at all concentrations tested (33, 66, 132, 264 and 528 μl l(-1) ) suppressed the mycelial growth and conidial germination of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. For the in vivo study, 'Sekaki' papaya were exposed to lemongrass oil fumigation (0, 7, 14, 28 μl l(-1) ) for 18 h and at room temperature for 9 days. Lemongrass oil vapour at the concentration of 28 μl l(-1) was most effective against anthracnose of artificially inoculated papaya fruit while quality parameters of papaya were not significantly altered.


CONCLUSIONS
This suggests that lemongrass oil vapour can control anthracnose disease development on papaya without affecting its natural ripening process.


CONCLUSIONS
The potential practical application of this technology can reduce reliance on synthetic fungicides for the control of postharvest diseases in papaya.
Centre of Excellence for Postharvest Biotechnology (CEPB), School of Biosciences, The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Semenyih, Malaysia.
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Ali
Centre of Excellence for Postharvest Biotechnology (CEPB), School of Biosciences, The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Semenyih, Malaysia.
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Wee Pheng
Centre of Excellence for Postharvest Biotechnology (CEPB), School of Biosciences, The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Semenyih, Malaysia.
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MA
Mustafa
D029441:Carica / Q000382:microbiology*; D020231:Colletotrichum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils; D013729:Terpenes; C052901:lemongrass oil
Colletotrichum gloeosporioides; anthracnose; essential oils; lemongrass oil vapour; papaya