Evaluation of the potentialcontrol ofnatural compounds against anthracnose in mango (Mangifera indica L. cv. tommy atkins)

Abstract

Anthracnose produced by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is a post-harvest mango disease causing big economic losses worldwide. Plant pathogens have increased their resistance to chemical fungicides. The use of natural formulations for disease control represents a healthier alternative. Therefore, testing new natural antimicrobial agents is necessary. Several natural agents for phytopathogen control have been described. Their effectiveness depends on various factors such as their composition, concentration and the environment. We evaluated the antifungal activity of organic crude extracts of Citrus x paradisi (grapefruit), Citrus reticulata (tangerine) and Citrus aurantium (sour orange) and a treatment with chitosan in mango fruits cv. Tommy Atkins against C. gloeosporioides. The extracts obtained with hexane from dried sour orange peels had a considerable fungicidal effect on the radial growth of the fungus. Also, the parameters evaluated in mango fruits demonstrate that the chitosan treatment delays the development of symptoms of anthracnose. μL of the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, and vigorously mixed for 10 min. of 20% sodium carbonate was added, mixed and incubated for 2 hours at 25 °C. The absorbance at a wavelength λ = 765 nm was measured. The results were reported in g of phenols/kg expressed as fresh weight using a calibration curve generated using pyrocatechol.