Abstract
BackgroundIncreasing restrictions on pesticide application in the production process of agricultural food products indicate urgent need for safer alternatives to keep the product quality, and to inhibit pathogen infections. In the present study, effect of three essential oils from rosemary, thyme and tarragon, in concentrations of 500 and 1000 ppm, were evaluated on shelf life and postharvest decay of Valencia oranges and under laboratory conditions. Valencia fruits were inoculated with or without crushing the fruit peel surface with the blue mold fungi (Penicillium italicum). The extent of decay and some quality parameters were evaluated during 4 weeks.ResultsWhen inoculation was performed with peel surface crushing, all fruits were fully decayed after 1 week, and only fruits in control (without infection) remained intact. However, when fruits were inoculated by just submerging and without peel crushing, depending on applied oil sources and oil concentrations, significant reduction in fruit decay was observed. Tarragon and thyme essential oils in both concentrations reduced the fruit decay; however, their 1000 ppm rather than 500 ppm was more effective on preventing fruit decay. Rosemary essential oil was less effective than the other two essential oils on preventing orange decay by blue mold fungi.ConclusionsTarragon and then thyme oils were most effective on preventing fruit decay and can be effectively used during postharvest handling and storage to keep Valencia orange fruits out of decaying.
Highlights
Plant essential oils represent an alternative to pesticide application in the production processes of agricultural foods
Valencia fruits were collected from a field in Jiroft (Kerman province) as a main area for citrus growing in southeast of Iran
In the second experiment, when inoculation was done using fruit submerging without crushing, the results showed that the oils and their corresponding concentrations were effective in preventing the Valencia orange fruit decay (Tables 1, 2 and 3)
Summary
Plant essential oils represent an alternative to pesticide application in the production processes of agricultural foods. The literature indicates the efficient records of essential oils on postharvest quality of many crops [5, 19]. Blue mold fungi (Penicillium italicum Wehmer) are one of the main decay agents of all citrus fruits [6]. Increasing restrictions on pesticide application in the production process of agricultural food products indicate urgent need for safer alternatives to keep the product quality, and to inhibit pathogen infections. Effect of three essential oils from rosemary, thyme and tarragon, in concentrations of 500 and 1000 ppm, were evaluated on shelf life and postharvest decay of Valencia oranges and under laboratory conditions. The extent of decay and some quality parameters were evaluated during 4 weeks
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