EFFECACY OF SOME NANOEMULSSIONS OF ESSENTIAL OILS TO CONTROL STRAWBERRY GREY MOLD POST HARVEST DISEASE

Abstract

Nano - emulsions of essential oils (NEOs) are a promising application in controlling plant pathogens, it also increases the antimicrobial properties. In this research, nano-emulsion essential oils of Clove, Rose and Bergamot were prepared and tested as potential antifungal agent at various concentrations of active ingredient against the growth of Botrytis cinerea isolate (BC4) and to control strawberry grey mold as post-harvest disease. Results indicated that Clove nano-emulsion was the most effective to completely inhibited the growth and sporulation of B. cinerea isolate, (BC4) at even the low concentration of 80 µll -1 for the growth and at concentration of at 50 µll -1 for sporulation tested fungus. Clove and Rose NEOs at both concentrations (100 µll -1 and 80 µll - 1) completely inhibited grey mold disease incidence at 7 days after fridge storage, However, Bergamot NEO consistently showed lower effect. In general, treatments with the tested nano-essential oils (NEOs) significantly maintained physical and chemical characteristics, i.e ., moisture content, weight loss, titrable acidity and ascorbic acid content of the treated strawberry fruits which inoculated with B. cinerea isolate (BC4), at the three periods of the fridge storage compared to the only inoculated fruits with fungus isolate as the control. Regarding the moisture