Abstract
Black rot caused by Ceratocystis fimbriata is the most damaging postharvest disease among sweet potatoes. Black rot can be controlled by synthetic fungicides, but these synthetic fungicides also have several negative effects. Perillaldehyde (PAE), a major component of the herb perilla, is an effective and eco-friendly method of controlling this disease. The antifungal activity of PAE on the mycelial growth in C. fimbriata was evaluated in vitro. Sweet potatoes at the postharvest stage were surfaced-disinfected with 75% ethanol. Artificially created wounds were inoculated with a C. fimbriata cell suspension, and then, the PAE was spontaneously volatilized inside the residual airspace of the containers at 28°C. Samples were collected at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 21 days from each group, and the tissues around the wounds of the sweet potatoes were collected using a sterilized knife and then homogenized to determine their defense-related enzyme activity and quality parameters. In vitro assays showed that the mycelial growth of C. fimbriata was inhibited by PAE in a dose-dependent manner. An in vivo test demonstrated that 25, 50, and 100 μl/l PAE doses, when applied to sweet potatoes inoculated with C. fimbriata, could remarkable lower lesion diameter as compared to the control. Even though the storage time was prolonged, PAE vapor treatment still drastically inhibited sweet potato decay during storage at 28°C. These PAE vapor treatments also enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL). These treatments remarkably decreased weight loss rates and had minor effects on other fruit quality parameters, such as anthocyanin content and vitamin C content. In our study, the results suggested that the effects of PAE on postharvest sweet potatoes may be attributed to the maintenance of enzymatic activity and fruit quality. In sum, PAE may be a promising approach to controlling C. fimbriata in sweet potatoes.
Highlights
Ceratocystis fimbriata is a pathogenic fungus that causes lethal wilt-type diseases in a broad range of economically important plants (Ferreira et al, 2017)
The application of synthetic fungicides for the control of pathogenic fungi is a standard commercial practice worldwide; because of the increasing awareness of chemical compounds that are potentially harmful to human health and the environment, interest in natural methods of maintaining postharvest quality and controlling diseases in plants is increasing (Sharma et al, 2009)
PAE vapor treatment can remarkably reduce the mycelial growth of C. fimbriata in vitro
Summary
Ceratocystis fimbriata is a pathogenic fungus that causes lethal wilt-type diseases in a broad range of economically important plants (Ferreira et al, 2017). C. fimbriata on sweet potatoes [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] was first reported in China, where there were substantial losses due to black rot on stored roots (Muramoto et al, 2012). PAE Controls Black Rot reported to cause black rot in sweet potatoes and severe deterioration during postharvest storage (Baker et al, 2003; Engelbrecht and Harrington, 2005). Postharvest diseases of crops and fruits cause major losses, and these diseases are primarily controlled via the application of synthetic fungicides. In recent years, the resistance of C. fimbriata to conventional synthetic fungicides has drastically increased due to the fact that the widespread, long-term agricultural use of synthetic fungicides has caused some major postharvest pathogens to develop resistance against them (Vilaplana et al, 2017). The development of more effective and healthy antifungals is of paramount importance
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