Antimicrobial efficacy of Helichrysum spp. on post-harvest diseases of pomegranate fruit
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Date
2024
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University of the Western Cape
Abstract
Fungal pathogens are the major contributors to losses of horticultural produce, which poses a threat to the global food security. The solution to reducing food decay caused by fungal pathogens mainly relies with crop and plant protection which include the aggressive usage of chemical fungicides and other cost-effective postharvest strategies which are associated with significant health, safety, and environmental implications. Numerous investigations have been undertaken on the effects of crude plant extracts as safe, cost-effective, and yet effective strategies for post-harvest management of fungal pathogens. According to Gurjar et al. (2012), under stressful conditions, plants strategically generate secondary metabolites for their defence strategy against predators. Some of these compounds have been tested and proven to exhibit intense activity against numerous fungal pathogens. This study aimed to utilize in vitro and in vivo of Helichrysum odoratissimum and Helichrysum patulum to identify potential bioactive compounds that can be used as alternatives fungicidal agents to synthetic chemicals for post-harvest management of Botrytis cinerea. Moreover, the influence of geographical harvest location, extraction solvent types, and processing methods were investigated. Detailed literature search on the plant extracts and natural compounds as potential alternative treatment for post-harvest fungal pathogens was performed.
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Keywords
Helichrysum, Botrytis cinerea, Crude extracts, Antifungal activity, Viridiflorol