Post-harvest fungal rot of green pepper fruits (Capscium annuum): Methanolic extracts of tropical spices as bio rescue agents

Abstract

This study aimed at evaluating the control potential of some essential oils on green pepper fruit (Capscium annuum) rot. Samples of green pepper fruits (infected and healthy) and spices were obtained from Ado-Ekiti market, fungal rot pathogens were isolated from infected green pepper fruit and pathogenicity test was carried out to authenticate the pathogenic status of the fungal isolates. The fungi isolated from the green pepper fruits were: Aspergillus spp, Cladosprium spp. Fusarium solani, Rhizopus stolonifer, Mucor spp. Alternaria spp. The fungal isolates were identified using cultural and morphological features such as colony growth pattern, conidial morphology and pigmentation. Extracts of clove, ginger, and garlic were obtained using established standards. The fungal inoculum was prepared from 5-days old culture grown on potato dextrose agar and the effects of the essential oils were determined on the pepper fruit rot. The sensitivity of the fungal isolates to the extracts was found by assessing the diameter of the zone of inhibition in which significant susceptibility was taken as 25 mm in diameter. The effects of various rot fungi on the carbohydrate content of green pepper showed values of 32.85, 33.57, 33.12, 33.22, 32.78, and 33.57% by Aspergillus spp, Cladosprium spp, Fusarium solani, Rhizopus stolonifer, Mucor spp and Alternaria spp respectively. The effect of various rot fungi on the moisture content of green pepper showed 19.68% for Cladosporium spp, followed by Fusarium solani (19. 24%) while the least was Aspergillus spp (18.59%). The effects of various rot fungi on the total ash of green pepper showed Mucor spp (18.87%), followed by Cladosporium (18.81%) and Aspergillus spp (18.61%). The effects of various rot fungi on the crude fat content of green pepper showed Fusarium solani and Mucor 9.97% while the least was Aspergillus spp (9.35%). The effects of various rot fungi on the protein content of green pepper showed a value of 15.96% for Cladosporium spp while the least effect was from Alternaria spp (15.01%). Rot fungi exhibited various degrees of effects on the nutritional contents of infected green pepper fruits. Therefore, various biological controls of fungal fruits rot, such as the application of powder extracts of clove, ginger and garlic can be adopted, these applications have been established for controlling fruit rot of green pepper fruits in this research.