Efficacy of essential oils on the conidial germination, growth of colletotrichum gloeosporioides (penz.) penz. and sacc and control of postharvest diseases in papaya (carica papaya l.)

The efficacy of nine essential oils were investigated in vitro on conidial germination and mycelial growth inhibition oiColletotrichum gloeosporioid.es isolate from papaya {Carica papaya L.). In general, better antifungal effect was observed with Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Syzygium aromaticum oils which had strong inhibition of conidial germination of C. gloeosporioides at 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 ug inL ^-1 and a dose dependent inhibition mycelial growth was caused by these oils. Teloxys ambrosioides, Mentha piperita and Ruta chalepensis oils exhibited a moderate action at 150, 200 and 250 ug mL ^-1 on conidial germination and mycelial growth inhibition. Allium sativum, Citrus aurantifolia andEucalyptus globulus oils had no antifungal activity at different concentration. Taking into account the in vitro results, C. zeylanicum and S. aromaticum oils were evaluated on papaya fruit during storage at ambient temperature and 14°C. The lowest infection percentage were for papaya fruits treated with S. aromaticum at 50 ug inL ^-1 at both temperature tested, nevertheless did not overcome the activity of synthetic fungicide. After storage at both temperature, values of Soluble Solids Content (SSC) was not significantly different. S. aromaticum oils may be a possibility to control C. gloeosporioides of papaya fruit.