Colletotrichum Musae Research Articles

A New Flavone from Flos Sophorae Immaturus Through Microbial Transformation by Nigrospora sphaerica ZMT05

A new flavone derivative, 3′-(γ,γ-dimethylallyloxy)-5,7-dihydroxy-4′-methoxyflavone (1), was isolated from Flos Sophorae Immaturus through microbial transformation by the fungus Nigrospora sphaerica ZMT05. Its structure was elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses. This compound showed moderate in vitro antifungal activities against Colletotrichum musae and Penicillium italicum.

Curative activity of possible biocontrol agents in the postharvest of yellow pitahaya and organic banana

Biological control is one of the best strategies to reduce the use of chemical products during the postharvest period. The isolation and identification of potential biocontrol agents from fruit surfaces is the first step in obtaining an effective biological product against pathogens. In this study several yeast strains were isolated from Ecuadorian fruit and were identified. The curative activity of two selected yeasts, Candida inconspicua (CPN3) and Pichia kluyveri (B1), was analyzed to establish their antagonism against Alternaria alternata on yellow pitahaya and against Colletotrichum musae on organic banana. CPN3 yeast showed better effectiveness (p < 0.01) than B1 in controlling black rot on yellow pitahaya; whereas on organic banana B1 demonstrated better efficacy (p < 0.05) in reducing anthracnose than CPN3. This fact was related to the population dynamics of both yeasts during cold storage of yellow pitahaya and organic banana. No negative effects were observed on physicochemical quality of fruit treated with the potential biocontrol agents. Although curative activity was observed when using CPN3 and B1, studies about their preventive action are needed to establish the antagonistic potential of both yeasts.

Dehydrozingerone Inspired Discovery of Potential Broad-Spectrum Fungicidal Agents as Ergosterol Biosynthesis Inhibitors.

A series of dehydrozingerone derivatives were synthesized, and their fungicidal activities and action mechanism against Colletotrichum musae were evaluated. The bioassay result showed that most compounds exhibited excellent fungicidal activity in vitro at 50 μg mL-1. Compounds 13, 16, 18, 19, and 27 exhibited broad-spectrum fungicidal activity; especially, compounds 19 and 27 were found to have more potent fungicidal activity than azoxystrobin. The EC50 values of compounds 19 and 27 against Rhizoctonia solani were 0.943 and 0.161 μg mL-1 respectively. Moreover, compound 27 exhibited significant in vitro bactericidal activity against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, with an EC50 value of 11.386 μg mL-1, and its curative effect (49.64%) and protection effect (51.74%) on rice bacterial blight disease was equivalent to that of zhongshengmycin (42.90%, 40.80% respectively). Compound 27 could also effectively control gray mold (87.10%, 200 μg mL-1) and rice sheath blight (100%, 200 μg mL-1; 82.89%, 100 μg mL-1) in vivo. Preliminary action mechanism study showed that compound 27 mainly acted on the cell membrane and significantly inhibited ergosterol biosynthesis in Colletotrichum musae.

Aloe vera gel enriched with garlic essential oil effectively controls anthracnose disease and maintains postharvest quality of banana fruit during storage

Banana is a tropical fruit that suffers from several postharvest diseases during transportation and storage. Anthracnose caused by the fungus Colletotrichum musae is the most destructive postharvest disease of banana. The aim of this study was to determine the antifungal activities of Aloe vera (AV) gel coating alone or in combination with garlic oil (GO) at two concentrations (AV + GO 0.05% and AV + GO 0.1%) in vitro and in vivo against anthracnose disease of banana fruit. The results showed that the AV gel coating incorporated with GO was more effective as a fungicide than AV gel alone. The highest antifungal activity was observed in AV + GO 0.1% treatment, which significantly inhibited the mycelial growth and spore germination by 87.7 and 91.2%, respectively, compared to the control. In vivo study indicated that AV gel combined with GO 0.1% effectively reduced anthracnose disease incidence (92.5%) and severity (81.0%) in artificially inoculated banana fruit after 15 days of storage. The same treatment delayed the changes in weight loss, firmness, soluble solids concentration, and titratable acidity. Moreover, AV gel coating and GO enhanced total phenolic contents and total antioxidant activities of banana fruit. These results suggested that AV gel combined with GO can be used as an effective biofungicide for controlling anthracnose disease of banana fruit.

Chemical composition and antifungal effect of ethanol extract from Sapindus saponaria L. fruit against banana anthracnose

Anthracnose causes severe losses in banana production, and Colletotrichum musae is one of the most important pathogens responsible for this fungal disease. Fungicides, such as thiabendazole, are used to control postharvest anthracnose and indirectly extend the shelf life of banana fruits. However, some fungicides can have harmful effects on public health as well as on the environment and biodiversity. A natural alternative to conventional antifungal agents could be the solution to meet the demand for healthier and less toxic food. In this study, the effect of ethanol extract of Sapindus saponaria L. fruit was evaluated in vitro against three Colletotrichum species: C. musae, C. gloeosporioides, and C. boninense. The activity of the ethanol extract against C. Musae was similar to that of thiabendazole at 500 μg/mL. A fractionation, bioguided by antifungal activity, led to a semi-purified fraction that contained saponin 3-O-(β-d-xylopyranosyl)-(1→3)-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl- (1→2)-α-l-arabinopyranosyl hederagenin and acyclic sesquiterpene oligoglycoside. This fraction presented an inhibition halo with a diameter of 10.7 mm at 125 μg/mL. Although the semi-purified fraction was the most active, crude ethanol extract is a low-cost and environmentfriendly alternative to conventional fungicides for the control of postharvest banana anthracnose.

Active film incorporated with clove essential oil on storage of banana varieties

Purpose Banana is an important tropical fruit with high demand in the market. The ripe fruits are less resistant to transport making logistics difficult. Moreover, as a climacteric fruit, it has a short post-harvest shelf life. Edible coatings/films, including active substances, have been used as an alternative for preserving fruits and vegetables during post-harvest period. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incorporating clove essential oil on the properties of cassava starch films and their effect on the post-harvest quality of different banana varieties. Design/methodology/approach Cassava starch films incorporating clove essential oil were developed and the films were characterized with respect to moisture, thickness, solubility, water vapor permeability (WVP), biodegradability, color and in vitro antifungal activity. Cultivars such as Prata-Anã, Grand Nine, BRS Tropical and BRS Conquista were coated with cassava starch, cassava starch film with clove essential oil (CSEO) and polyvinyl polychloride (PVC). The quality of fruits was monitored during eight storage days using mass loss, total soluble solids content (TSS) and titratable acidity (TTA). Findings Incorporation of clove essential oil significantly increased film thickness, reduced moisture content, solubility and WVP (p &lt; 0.05) and did not affect the biodegradability and color of the films. The essential oil incorporated films showed antifungal activity against the fungi Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Colletotrichum musae, but not against the yeast Saccharomyces bourladii. CSEO and PVC coating were more efficient in reducing the mass loss, SS content and TTA of the coated fruits in all varieties studied. Both CSEO and PVC coatings improve the quality attributes such as TSS and TTA and reduced mass loss, of the banana varieties such as Prata-Anã, Grand Nine, BRS Tropical and BRS Conquista during storage. Originality/value The active film with essential oil showed antifungal activity and essential oil can be incorporated into other food systems. This study approaches a new possibility of film coating with essential oil for a banana that showed minimum weight loss and satisfactory quality and increased shelf life. This film coating demonstrates biodegradable characteristics that could be eco-friendly and sustainable to consumers.

Sesquiterpenes with Phytopathogenic Fungi Inhibitory Activities from Fungus Trichoderma virens from Litchi chinensis Sonn.

A new monosesquiterpene diacetylgliocladic acid (1), a new dimeric sesquiterpene divirensol H (9), and two exceptionally novel trimeric sesquiterpene trivirensols A and B (11 and 12), together with another eight known congeners, were purified from an endophytic fungus Trichoderma virens FY06, derived from Litchi chinensis Sonn. whose fruit is a delicious and popular food. All of them were identified by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, combined with biosynthetic considerations. Trivirensols A and B are unprecedented trimers of which three subunits are connected by two ester bonds of the sesquiterpene class. Relative to the positive control triadimefon, all the tested metabolites showed strong inhibitory activities against at least one phytopathogenic fungus among Penicillium italicum, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium graminearum, Colletotrichum musae, and Colletotrictum gloeosporioides. Notably, as metabolites of the endophytic fungus from L. chinensis, they all presented strong antifungal activities against C. gloeosporioides which causes anthracnose in L. chinensis.

Óleo fixo de pinhão bravo no controle in vitro de Colletotrichum musae

A antracnose causada pelo fungo Colletotrichum musae é considerada das mais importantes moléstias em frutos de banana. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do óleo fixo de pinhão bravo no controle in vitro de C. musae, em diferentes concentrações e metodologias de aplicação. O fungo foi isolado de frutos de bananeira, cultivado em meio de cultura Batata-Dextrose-Ágar (B.D.A). O experimento conduzido em esquema fatorial com 2 fatores (3 métodos de aplicação e 3 concentrações + 2 testemunhas), com sete repetições. Os métodos de aplicação foram: incorporação do óleo ao meio de cultura fundente; distribuição do óleo no meio de cultura solidificado e distribuição do óleo em papel filtro, fixado na parte interna da tampa da placa de Petri. As concentrações do óleo utilizadas foram: 0,1; 1 e 10%. As testemunhas foram: testemunha absoluta (sem óleo e sem fungicida) e testemunha relativa (sem óleo e com fungicida). O óleo testado em todas as concentrações e métodos de aplicação foi diluído em Tween 80. Diariamente, por dez dias foi medido o crescimento radial em centímetros do micélio do fungo. Os dados foram analisados pelo teste de Tukey a 5% de probabilidade. Os tratamentos 1, 2, 5, 7, 8 e 11 proporcionaram maior inibição do crescimento micelial de C. musae e foram estatisticamente iguais entre si. O óleo fixo de pinhão bravo pode ser usado como medida alternativa de controle de C. musae em substituição aos pesticidas químicos.

Bioefficacy test of Hatake™ (Bacillus amyloliquefaciensD203 strain) for control of crown rot disease in ‘Cavendish’ bananas

Postharvest diseases of bananas remain a significant challenge of banana exporting countries and can result in considerable losses. Adequate storage and transportation facilities are among the strategies employed to reduce losses, but chemical control has been found to be more effective and economical. Synthetic fungicides have traditionally been used to mitigate postharvest diseases caused by harmful microorganisms. However, with current global health concern, there is a public desire to utilize eco-friendly alternatives to address decay loss. A study on the bioefficacy of a commercial formulation containing Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain D203 (Hatake™) for control of crown rot disease in 'Cavendish' bananas, was conducted using both in vitro and in vivo screening techniques. Its potential in controlling crown rot and the efficacy of different rates were determined. Crown rot causing microorganisms were isolated and tested for antagonism by B. amyloliquefaciens strain D203. Efficacy was assessed through observations on its antagonistic properties, crown rot and mould severity, crown discoloration and peel colour changes. Laboratory analysis indicated that Colletotrichum musae was the dominant microorganism that colonized the petri plate which was further proved through pathogenicity tests. 1.0 g mL(‑1) of Hatake™ showed higher inhibitory zones against C. musae. Furthermore, an in vivo experiment showed that 1.0 g mL(‑1) rate of Hatake™ was more effective than 0.5 and 2.0 g mL(‑1) and synthetic chemical treatment in controlling crown rot and mould formation or production. A 1.0 g mL(‑1) rate of Hatake™ resulted in better crown colour among all fruit treated with 103 inoculum of C. musae mL(‑1) water. Development of fruit ripening, as manifested by its peel colour change, was significantly slower in fruits treated with 1.0 g mL(‑1) of Hatake™ compared to all treatments innoculated with 103 inoculum of C. musae mL‑1 water. The results indicated that Hatake™ has the potential for commercial application as postharvest treatment for 'Cavendish' bananas.

Comparative transcriptomic and metabolic analysis reveals the effect of melatonin on delaying anthracnose incidence upon postharvest banana fruit peel

BackgroundBanana anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum musae, is one of the most severe postharvest diseases in banana. Melatonin is widely known for its role in enhancing plant stress tolerance. However, little is known about the control of melatonin on anthracnose in postharvest banana fruit.ResultsIn this study, exogenous melatonin treatment could significantly reduce the incidence of anthracnose in ripe yellow banana fruit and delay fruit senescence. However, melatonin treatment did not affect the growth of Colletotrichum musae in vitro. Transcriptomic analysis of banana peel showed that 339 genes were up-regulated and 241 were down-regulated in the peel after melatonin treatment, compared with the control. Based on GO terms and KEGG pathway, these up-regulated genes were mainly categorized into signal transduction, cell wall formation, secondary metabolism, volatile compounds synthesis and response to stress, which might be related to the anti-anthracnose of banana fruit induced by melatonin treatment. This view was also supported by the increase of volatile compounds, cell wall components and IAA content in the melatonin-treated fruit peel via the metabolomic analysis. After melatonin treatment, auxin, ethylene and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways were enhanced, which might be involved in the enhanced fruit resistance by regulating physiological characteristics, disease-resistant proteins and metabolites.ConclusionsOur results provide a better understanding of the molecular processes in melatonin treatment delaying banana fruit senescence and anthracnose incidence.

Postharvest biocontrol of anthracnose in bananas by endophytic and soil rhizosphere bacteria associated with sisal (Agave sisalana) in Brazil

Banana is one of the most consumed fruits worldwide and a climacteric tropical commodity that requires harvesting methods, storage and transportation, which burden its marketing. It is one of the food crops most susceptible to diseases, such as anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum musae, considered the main postharvest disease of bananas. This pathogen is a quiescent fungus that infects the fruits during preharvest which symptoms appear at postharvest with advanced stage of maturity. Although efficient, the control using fungicides requires more than one pulverization. Therefore, this is unfeasible if one considers the time elapsed between harvesting and transportation of fruits, when symptoms are already visible. Furthermore, this control method has commercial and environmental restrictions which prevent this product of being certified as organic, which adds value to commodities. As an alternative to chemical control, biological control agents (BCAs) have been studied and used. In light of this information, we have selected 12 bacteria from in vitro tests, which are trivial for selecting biocontrol agents. In vivo testing, the following taxa were efficient in controlling the anthracnose: Bacillus velezensis, Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia marcescens and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. B. velezensis showed similar performance as the Thiabendazole (Tecto SC®). Moreover, B. velezensis inhibited mycelial growth and pathogen sporulation and was positive for cellulase and xylanase activity, which are mechanisms of action relevant to a biocontrol agent. Furthermore, this bacterium can be considered as BCA of direct application by spraying and fruit immersion, or can be used systemically since B. velezensis is not pathogenic to humans.

Sub-lethal concentrations of Perilla frutescens essential oils affect phytopathogenic fungal biofilms

The lack of deep knowledge of plant pathogenic fungal biofilms is reflected in the few existing environmental-friendly options for controlling fungal plant disease. Indeed, chemical fungicides still dominate the market but present-day concerns about their real efficacy, increasing awareness of the risk they pose to human health and the environment, and the incidence of fungicide resistance have all led to the current trend of near zero-market-tolerance for pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables. Here, essential oils (PK and PK-IK) from the edible leaves of two cultivars of Perilla frutescens are proposed as new, effective, non-toxic, eco-friendly pesticide-free options suitable for a preventive or integrative approach for sustainable crop protection and product preservation. PK and PK-IK were extracted and characterized, and their ability to affect the biofilm formation of the phytopathogenic model fungi Colletotrichum musae, Fusarium dimerum and Fusarium oxysporum was studied at non-lethal doses. Both essential oils at 1000 and 2000 mg l-1 showed excellent anti-biofilm performance: i) reducing conidia adhesion up to 80.3 ± 16.2%; ii) inhibiting conidia germination up to 100.0 ± 0.0%; iii) affecting biofilm structural development, with a reduction in dry weight of up to 100.0 ± 0.0% and extracellular polysaccharides and proteins up to 81.4 ± 8.0% and 51.0 ± 6.1% respectively. In all cases PK-IK showed better activity than PK.

Antagonic Agents and Hydrothermal Treatment in the Control of Anthracnosis in Banana cv. 'Pacovan'

The objective of this work was to evaluate the thermal and biological treatment efficiency of anthracnose (Colletotrichum musae) in banana cv. 'Pacovan'. Three experiments were set up in the laboratory, the first "in vitro" to select the isolate of Trichoderma spp. which had greater mycelial inhibition on plaque, the 2nd "in vivo" was biological control using 2 races of Trichoderma spp. and the 3rd in vivo varying temperatures and exposure times of banana fruits contaminated with Colletotrichum musae. Positive treatments (using fungicide) and negative treatments were done with the application of distilled water only for experiment 2 and 3. The antagonistic biological control agents T2 and T9 were efficient in inhibiting the growth of Colletotrichum musae "in vitro", when analyzed "in vivo" did not have efficiency in the inhibition of the growth of the pathogen. Thermotherapy is a promising technique for the treatment of postharvest rot in banana fruits of 'Pacovan' cultivar, with the best efficiencies observed at 47ºC for 3 and 9 min, and 51º for 3 and 9 min.

Phosphite-based Products in the In vitro Colletotrichum musae Control

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro effect of different phosphite formulations and concentrations on the development of Colletotrichum musae. Sample: to evaluate the inhibition of germination, mycelial growth and sporulation of Colletotrichum musae.&#x0D; Study Design: Treatments were conducted in a completely randomized design, with 4 replicates, each replicate consisting of 1 Petri dish.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Laboratory of Post-Harvest Pathology, State University of Montes Claros, between March and October 2017.&#x0D; Methodology: Three different phosphite formulations were used: FCu1 (4% Cu + 20% P2O5), FCu2 (4% Cu + 22% P2O5) at concentrations of 0.5;1.0; 1.5 and 2.0 mL L-1 and FK (42% P2O5 + 27.7% K2O) at concentrations of 0.5; 1.0; 1.5 and 2.0 mg.L-1. Products were incorporated into the respective culture media. Culture medium alone and culture medium + imazalil were used as controls. Petri dishes were housed in BOD chamber at 25°C under a 12 hours photoperiod.&#x0D; Results: Results were submitted to analysis of variance and regression, and means were compared by the Tukey test (P &lt;0.05). Control was compared to the other treatments by the Dunnet's test (P &lt;0.05). Among the tested phosphite formulations, copper and potassium phosphites were found to reduce the mycelial growth of Colletotrichum musae. FCu2 presents a fungicide-like effect from the concentration of 0.5 m.L-1 in the control of conidia production. As for the FCu1, a fungicide-like effect was observed in the control of germination from the concentration of 1.5 mL.L-1.&#x0D; Conclusion: A significant fungistatic effect was observed between the concentrations of the products in the mycelial growth, sporulation and germination obtaining control of up to 100% of the development of C. musae. Copper phosphites were as effective as fungicide in inhibiting fungal development.

Inhibitory effects of essential oils from Ocimum basilicum and Ocimum gratissimum on Colletotrichum musae: The causal agent of bananas anthracnose

AbstractThis study aimed to investigate the fungicidal effects of essential oils (EO) from Ocimum sp. on Colletotrichum musae. The fungus was isolated from bananas that showed typical symptoms of anthracnose followed by molecular identification. Oils were obtained by hydro‐distillation, and the chemical constituents were analysed using gas chromatography. The antifungal activity of the oils was tested in vitro against mycelia growth and conidia germination. In situ tests were carried out by spraying the oil on healthy bananas followed by the inoculation with C. musae conidia and the assessment of the necrosis symptoms. The obtained results revealed that the yield of the oil extracted from Ocimum basilicum and Ocimum gratissimum were 0.17% and 0.40%, respectively. Thujanol (24.38%), eugenol (23.78%) and (Z)‐ß‐ocimene (16.59%) were the main components found in O. basilicum while thymol (42.65%), trans‐sabinene hydrate (21.63%) and limonene (8.68%) were the major components found in O. gratissimum. The total reduction in the C. musae mycelial growth was observed at 800 and 275 µl/L, for the O. basilicum and O. gratissimum oils, respectively. These oils also inhibited completely the conidia germination at 400 and 185 µl/L. In situ tests showed the necrosis reduction bananas anthracnose. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the preventive and curative test after the application of O. basilicum oil was 6,000 and 4,000 µl/L, respectively, whereas for the O. gratissimum oil, the MIC was 3,000 and 1,000 µl/L, jointly. Positive correlations were identified between the oil concentration and the reduction in bananas necrosis. These results indicated that the O. gratissimum EOs might be used as a biocide for the control of bananas anthracnose disease.

Potential of Wild Yeast from Banana to Control Colletotrichum musae Fungi Caused Anthracnose Disease and Its Short Antagonistic Mechanism Assay

Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum musae is one of several important disease in banana fruit. An effective, cheap, and safe control method are necessary as a postharvest disease control alternative. This research aimed to obtain and identify wild yeast from banana which was isolated from its peel that has antagonist ability effectively in controlling anthracnose disease of banana fruit. This research was started with an isolation of C. musae and yeast from banana, followed by in vivo assay with count percentage antagonist level, slide culture, and in vivo assay to know pathogen incubation stage and incident disease level. The yeast that isolated from ambon variety was Candida sp. and Pichia sp. Metchnikowia sp. from kepok variety respectively.

Antifungal activities of essential oils of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) on crown rot pathogens of banana

In the present study, yields of essential oils (EO) from Cinnamomum zeylanicum syn. C. verum and Cymbopogon citratus extracted by hydro-distillation were 0.38% and 0.27% respectively. Their chemical composition obtained by gas chromatography revealed that, cinnamon EO is mainly composed of thujanol (38.22%) and cinnamyl acetate (24.67%) while Lemongrass EO is characterized by linalool acetate (41.29%) and geraniol (32.15%). These oils significantly inhibited mycelial growth and conidia germination. Cinnamon oil was fungicidal at 2075 and 2000 µl/l while Lemongrass oil was fungicidal at 475, 350 and 600 µl/l, respectively, against Colletotrichum musae, Fusarium incarnatum and F. verticillioides. At 1025, 950 and 1088 µl/l C. zylanicum oil totally inhibited conidia germination of C. musae, F. incarnatum and F. verticillioides. For C. citrinus oil, total inhibited occurs at 200, 185 and 275 µl/l respectively, against C. musae, F. incarnatum and F. verticillioides.

Effect of apple cider vinegar, baking soda and salt on growth of &lt;i&gt;Colletotrichum musae&lt;/i&gt; and development of anthracnose disease on banana fruits

Banana fruits are prone to attack by Colletotrichum musae, causing postharvest anthracnose disease. Synthetic fungicides have been used in controlling postharvest pathogens but they are hazardous to human and the environment. Therefore, an alternative method to chemical control is needed. In this study, effect of sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride and apple cider vinegar (ACV) on the growth of banana anthracnose pathogen was examined. ACV (2 to 6%) and sodium bicarbonate (250 to 350 mM) completely inhibited the growth of the pathogen in vitro, followed by 211% inhibition by sodium chloride (4 to 8 g/L). ACV and sodium bicarbonate failed to control the anthracnose disease development on treated fruits compared to untreated fruits (control) in vivo. Further studies are suggested to test combined effect of ACV and sodium bicarbonate on the pathogen growth and disease development on banana fruits.

Effect of apple cider vinegar, baking soda and salt on growth of &lt;i&gt;Colletotrichum musae&lt;/i&gt; and development of anthracnose disease on banana fruits

Effect of apple cider vinegar, baking soda and salt on growth of &lt;i&gt;Colletotrichum musae&lt;/i&gt; and development of anthracnose disease on banana fruits

Antifungal Activity of Garlic (Allium sativum) Essential Oil and Wood Ash against Post-harvest Fruit Rot of Banana (Musa acuminata L.) in Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria

Studies on antifungal effect of garlic (Allium sativum) essential oil and wood ash were determined on causative agents of post-harvest fruit rot of banana. Different concentrations of essential oil of garlic (0.15, 0.50, and 1.0%) and quantities of wood ash (0.1, 0.3 and 0.5g) were used. The treatments were laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Four (4) fungal pathogens associated with rots of banana fruits were isolated. The fungi isolated and their incidence of occurrence included Colletotrichum musae (18%), Pyricularia grisea (18%), Rhizoctonia solani (38%) and Rhizopus stolonifer(26%). Rhizoctonia solani and Rhizopus stolonifer were the most pathogenic with rot covering more than 75% of the fruit surface. All the tested concentrations (0.15, 0.5 and 1.0%) of essential oil of garlic significantly (p < 0.05) suppressed mycelial growth of the fungi in-vitro. Also all tested quantities of wood ash (0.1, 0.3 and 0.5g) significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the rots of the fungi in-vivo. The effect was proportional to the concentrations of essential oil of garlic and quantities of wood ash used and reduction was highest at 1.0% of garlic oil and 0.5g of wood ash. Both garlic (Allium sativum) essential oil and wood ash proved effective in the control of disease severity and these natural plant materials are recommended as an alternative to pesticides which are often harmful and costly.