Postharvest Phytopathogenic Fungi Research Articles

Biocontrol mechanisms of the Antarctic yeast Debaryomyces hansenii UFT8244 against post-harvest phytopathogenic fungi of strawberries.

The use of yeasts has been explored as an efficient alternative to fungicide application in the treatment and prevention of post-harvest fruit deterioration. Here, we evaluated the biocontrol abilities of the Antarctic yeast strain Debaryomyces hansenii UFT8244 against the post-harvest phytopathogenic fungi Botrytis cinerea and Rhizopus stolonifer for the protection and preservation of strawberry fruit. The strongest inhibition of germination of B. cinerea (57%) was observed at 0 °C, followed by 40% at 25 °C. In addition, germ tubes and hyphae of B. cinerea were strongly surrounded and colonized by D. hansenii. Production of the enzymes β-1,3-glucanase, chitinase and protease by D. hansenii was detected in the presence of phytopathogenic fungus cell walls. The activity of β-1,3-glucanase was highest on day 12 of incubation and remained high until day 15. Chitinase and protease activities reached their highest levels on the day 15 of incubation. D. hansenii additionally demonstrated the ability to resist oxidative stress. Our data demonstrated that the main biocontrol mechanisms displayed by D. hansenii were the control of phytopathogenic fungal spore germination, production of antifungal enzymes and resistance to oxidative stress. We conclude that isolate D. hansenii UFT8422 should be further investigated for use at commercial scales at low temperatures.

Influence of α-Fe2O3, CuO and GO 2D nano-fillers on the structure, physical properties and antifungal activity of Na-CMC–PAAm blend

The present work aims to improve the uses of the carboxymethyl cellulose–polyacrylamide (Na-CMC–PAAm) blend for energy storage, optoelectronic applications, biological control, and plant disease management. Nano-sized materials (α-Fe2O3 nanoplates (NP), CuO NP, and GO nanosheets (NS), were synthesized and incorporated into the blend. The phase purity and morphologies of the used fillers were studied by XRD and HR-TEM. The interactions and complexation between the nano-fillers and the blend chains were investigated using XRD and FTIR spectra. The chemical composition and surface morphology of the nanocomposites were studied using EDS and FE-SEM analysis. UV-vis-NIR spectra revealed that the blend shows about 95% transmittance, reduced by 10–30% after doping. The absorption and refractive indices, as well as the optical gaps of the blend, were greatly affected by the doping. The dielectric constant and loss depend on the type of filler and the applied frequency. The maximum ac conductivity of the blend at 303 K and 4.0 MHz is 21.5 × 10–4 S/m and increased to 23.5 × 10–4 S/m after doping with CuO NP. The thermal stability, activation energy, stress–strain curves, and tensile strength are dependent on the filler type. All nanocomposite solutions except the blend exhibited a wide range of antifungal properties against pre- and post-harvest phytopathogenic fungi. Aspergillus niger among the examined fungi showed high sensitivity to the tested nanocomposite solutions. Furthermore, the CuO/blend nanocomposite had the highest antifungal activity against all tested fungi. Based on that, we suggest the use of CuO/blend and GO/blend nanocomposites to control and combat pre- and post-harvest fungal plant diseases.

More than a Virulence Factor: Patulin Is a Non-Host-Specific Toxin that Inhibits Postharvest Phytopathogens and Requires Efflux for Penicillium Tolerance.

Mycotoxin contamination is a leading cause of food spoilage and waste on a global scale. Patulin, a mycotoxin produced by Penicillium spp. during postharvest pome fruit decay, causes acute and chronic effects in humans, withstands pasteurization, and is not eliminated by fermentation. While much is known about the impact of patulin on human health, there are significant knowledge gaps concerning the effect of patulin during postharvest fruit-pathogen interactions. Application of patulin on six apple cultivars reproduced some blue mold symptoms that were cultivar-independent and dose-dependent. Identical symptoms were also observed in pear and mandarin orange. Six Penicillium isolates exposed to exogenous patulin exhibited delayed germination after 24 h, yetall produced viable colonies in 7 days. However, four common postharvest phytopathogenic fungi were completely inhibited by patulin during conidial germination and growth, suggesting the toxin is important for Penicillium to dominate the postharvest niche. Using clorgyline, a broad-spectrum efflux pump inhibitor, we demonstrated that efflux plays a role in Penicillium auto-resistance to patulin during conidial germination. The work presented here contributes new knowledge of patulin auto-resistance, its mode of action, and inhibitory role in fungal-fungal interactions. Our findings provide a solid foundation to develop toxin and decay mitigation approaches.

Chemical Composition, Liquid and Vapor-phase Antifungal Activities of Essential Oil of Teucrium luteum subsp. flavovirens against Three Postharvest Phytopathogenic Fungi

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and antifungal activities of essential oil (EO) of Teucrium luteum subsp. flavovirens. The analysis of EO using gas chromatography (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) allowed the identification of 63 compounds, accounting for 89.9% of the total oil. The major constituents were E-nerolidol (31.0%), β-pinene (6.9%), elemol (5.0%), and α-pinene (4.5%). The antifungal activities of EO in liquid and vapor-phase were evaluated in vitro against three apple pathogenic fungi using poisoned food (PF) and volatile activity (VA) techniques. The results indicated that the EO inhibited significantly the mycelial growth of all strains tested (p < .05). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Alternaria sp. was 2 µL/mL in VA assay, whereas >2 µL/mL in PF technique for all strains. Fungal spore production, in vapor phase, was completely inhibited at 2 µL/mL for three phytopathogens. The antifungal activities of T. luteum subsp. flavovirens from the Southeast of Morocco are reported for the first time.

Synthesis and evaluation of aromatic methoxime derivatives against five postharvest phytopathogenic fungi of fruits. Main structure–activity relationships

The antifungal activity of a library of twenty-four aromatic methoximes was examined against five representative postharvest phytopathogenic fungi. The panel included Penicillium digitatum, Penicillium italicum, Rhizopus stolonifer, Botrytis cinerea and Monilinia fructicola, all of which cause relevant economic losses worldwide as a result of affecting harvested fruits. The minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum fungicidal concentrations of each compound were defined and the main structure–activity relationships were determined. Although other congeners were more potent, drug likeliness considerations pointed to the methoxime derived from 2,4-dihydroxypropiophenone as the compound with the most suitable profile. The morphology of the colonies of the fungal strains treated with the methoxime was examined microscopically and the compound was also tested in freshly harvested peaches and oranges, exhibiting promising control profiles in both fruits, similar to those of the commercial agents Imazalil and Carbendazim.

Antimicrobial Activity and Chemical Composition of Essential Oil Extracted from Solidago canadensis L. Growing Wild in Slovakia.

Plant essential oils (EOs) are one of the most relevant natural products due to their biological, medicinal, and nutritional properties. The promising biological effects of many plants EOs encourage researchers to study their biochemical properties to be used as possible natural alternatives for commercial pesticides and not only as herbal medicines. The current research has been conducted to study the microbicide effect of Solidago canadensis L. EO to control some common plant diseases caused by several postharvest phytopathogenic fungi (Monilinia fructicola, Botrytis cinerea, Aspergillus niger, and Penicillium expansum) in comparison with Azoxystrobin as a large spectrum fungicide. The antibacterial activity has been carried out against some phytopathogenic bacteria (Bacillus megaterium and Clavibacter michiganensis (G+ve) and Xanthomonas campestris, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola (G−ve)) compared to the synthetic antibiotic Tetracycline. Minimum inhibitory concentration was carried out to determine the lowest effective EO dose using a 96-well microplate. The cell membrane permeability was also evaluated by measuring the electric conductivity (EC) to examine the possible mechanisms of action of S. canadensis EO. Chemical characterization of EO has been carried out using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Thirty-two identified components in S. canadensis EO presented 97.7% of total compounds in EO. The principal compounds were identified as germacrene D (34.9%), limonene (12.5%), α-pinene (11.6%), β-elemene (7.1%), and bornyl acetate (6.3%). In addition, S. canadensis EO demonstrated promising in vitro antimicrobial activities against the majority of tested phytopathogens at all tested concentrations.

Activity of the pterophyllins 2 and 4 against postharvest fruit pathogenic fungi. Comparison with a synthetic analog and related intermediates

The antifungal activity of pterophyllin 2, pterophyllin 4, a 5-desmethyl analog of the latter and some of their synthetic intermediates, against three postharvest phytopathogenic fungi, was evaluated. The target fungi were Rhizopus stolonifer, Botrytis cinerea and Monilinia fructicola, which affect fruits worldwide, causing important economic losses. The tests were carried out with imazalil and carbendazim as positive controls. Minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum fungicidal concentrations were determined, and the morphology of the colonies was examined microscopically. In liquid medium, it was found that pterophyllin 4 exhibited selective fungicidal activity toward M. fructicola, whereas its congener pterophyllin 2 proved to be less potent and not selective and the 5-desmethyl analog of pterophyllin 4 displayed a different activity profile. Morphological changes were observed in the colonies exposed to pterophyllin 4. The results highlighted the importance of small structural features for the antifungal behavior and also suggested that, in Nature, the pterophyllins may act as plant defenses against pathogens.

Essential oil composition and antifungal activity of Melissa officinalis originating from north-Est Morocco, against postharvest phytopathogenic fungi in apples.

To investigate biological control methods against post-harvest phytopathogenic fungi in apples, tests on the antifungal activity of essential oil of Melissa officinalis were carried out. The essential oil, obtained by hydrodistillation, was analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Analysis of the essential oil was able to detect 88.7% of the components. The main components are P-mentha-1,2,3-triol (13.1%), P-menth-3-en-8-ol (8.8%), pulegone (8.8%), piperitynone oxide (8.4%) and 2-piperitone oxide (7.3%). The determination of the antifungal activity of the essential oil of M.officinalisis carried out invitro using the technique of poison food (PF) and the volatile activity test (VA). To carry out these two tests, three phytopathogens that cause the deterioration of apples have been selected: Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium expansum and Rhizopus stolonifer. The overall results of this study suggest that M.officinalis essential oil has potential as a bio-antifungal preservative for the control of post-harvest diseases of apple.

The antifungal activity of essential oils in combination with warm air flow against postharvest phytopathogenic fungi in apples

Essential oils (EOs) are strong plant-derived antimicrobials. For their efficient use in the agri-food industry, the problems with technology of their application have to be solved. In vitro antifungal activity of cinnamon, oregano, lemongrass and clove essential oils (EOs) was tested by innovative method using EO in combination with warm air flow (WAF). EOs in concentrations from 0.25 to 512 μL/L of air were tested against eleven phytopathogenic fungi. Application of EOs in concentration of 4 and 16 μL/L by WAF method was used for treatment of apples inoculated with Penicillium expansum. Detailed sensory analysis of treated apples was performed. The WAF was more effective compare to standard disc volatilization method (DVM), the average minimum inhibitory concentrations in vitro were 5.6 μL/L during 5 min WAF treatment, compared to 136 μL/L during the DVM 24 h treatment. EOs applied by WAF delayed the incidence and development of P. expansum on apples with minimal adverse effect on their sensory profile. The WAF treatment could be considered for the development of antifungal treatments in the agri-food industry.

Antifungal activity of essential oil from the fruits of Ammodaucus leucotrichus Coss. and Dur., in liquid and vapour phase against postharvest phytopathogenic fungi in apples

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of essential oil (EO) from Ammodaucus leucotrichus fruits against three phytopathogenic fungi causing the deterioration for apples, including Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium expansum and Rhizopus stolonifer by using the poisoned food (PF) and the volatile activity (VA) methods. The antifungal test results indicated that the EO displayed significant potential of antifungal activity against the tested phytopathogenic fungi (p

Antifungal Effects of &lt;i&gt;Zataria multiflora&lt;/i&gt; Essential Oil on the Inhibitory Growth of some Postharvest Pathogenic Fungi

The present study aimed to determine minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of the essential oil of Zataria multiflora to control Alternaria solani, Rhizoctonia solani, Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus ochraceus and Aspergillus niger. The essential oil of Zataria multiflora was tested in vitro on PDA (malt extract agar medium) with eight concentrations: 0, 10, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900 and 1000 ppm. This investigation followed the completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. GC-MS evaluations of the essential oil revealed that thymol (35%), carvacrol (34%), cymene-p (9.89%), gamma-terpinene (5.88%) and alpha-pinene (4.22%) were the main compounds of Zataria multiflora oil. The results showed that the essential oil of Zataria multiflora has antifungal activity; the lowest inhibition (75%) was observed in the A. niger, while the highest inhibition (95.3%) was observed in A. solani. Minimum inhibitory concentration for A. solani, R. solani, R. stolonifer, A. flavus, A. ochraceus and A. niger was 200, 200, 200, 300, 300 and 200 ppm respectively. In addition, the present results showed that minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) for A. solani, R. solani, R .stolonifer, A. niger and A.ochraceus was 600, 400, 300, 900 and 700 ppm respectively and none of the tested concentrations were fatal for A. flavus. A. solani and R. solani showed a strong sensitivity to Zataria multiflora essential oil at all concentrations. Findings of the current study suggest that essential oils of Zataria multiflora could be used for control of postharvest phytopathogenic fungi on fruits or vegetables.

Commercial Laurus nobilis L. and Syzygium aromaticum L. Merr. & Perry essential oils against post-harvest phytopathogenic fungi on rice

Rice is exposed in the field and in stored conditions to a great variety of fungi that can cause a lot of diseases with potential risk to consumers. In the present study, the chemical composition of commercial Laurus nobilis L. and Syzygium aromaticum L. Merr. & Perry essential oils and antifungal activity against five pathogenic fungi isolated from Mediterranean rice grains has been investigated. Thirty-seven compounds accounting for more than 99.5% of the total essential oil were identified by GC and GC/MS. 1,8-Cineole (51.95%), α-terpinyl acetate (12.93%) and the monoterpene hydrocarbon sabinene (9.56%) were the main compounds in bay leaf essential oil, while the phenylpropanoid eugenol (88.58%), and the sesquiterpene hydrocarbons β-caryophyllene (8.13%) and α-humulene (2.35%) were found in clove essential oil. Clove essential oils at 300 μg/mL showed more antifungal effect than bay leaf essential oil against all tested strains. S. aromaticum essential oil showed the best antifungal activity towards Fusarium graminearum and similar antifungal activity compared to pure eugenol against all tested phytopathogenic fungi. In inoculated rice grain, clove essential oil significantly reduced the fungal infection in food so S. aromaticum essential oil could be a good alternative as preservative in stored rice grain.

Biocontrol of post‐harvest Alternaria alternata decay of cherry tomatoes with rhamnolipids and possible mechanisms of action

Rhamnolipids were reported to have evident antifungal activity. The efficacy of rhamnolipids against Alternaria alternata and their possible mechanisms involved were investigated. The decay incidences of A. alternata of cherry tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) treated by rhamnolipids were significantly reduced. The in vitro assays showed that rhamnolipids inhibited fungal growth on solid medium and prevented spore germination and mycelium growth in liquid medium. In addition, the combination of rhamnolipids and essential oil had a synergistic effect leading to the decrease of fungicidal concentrations of laurel oil. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy observations of the pathogen revealed significant morphological and cell structural alterations in the hyphae. Compared to the control, the content of nucleic acid in supernatant of the suspension of A. alternata increased, while the content of DNA and protein of mycelium decreased, which was in agreement with electrolyte leakage experiments. Rhamnolipids could be an alternative to chemicals for controlling post-harvest phytopathogenic fungi on fruits and vegetables.

Chemical composition and inhibitory activity of selected essential oils against fungi isolated from medicinal plants

In recent years great attention was paid to biological control, the application of natural products in order to protect crops and medicinal plants against contamination with phytopathogenic and saprophytic fungi. Essential oils have been evaluated as a potentially safe replacement for chemicals used for that purpose. In this regard, antifungal potential of six essential oils was examined coupled with determination of the complete qualitative and quantitative chemical composition by GC-FID and GC-MS analysis. While essential oils of rosemary, sage, Spanish sage and black pepper were exclusively composed of monoterpenes, vetiver essential oil was entirely composed of sesquiterpenes. In essential oil of cinnamon dominates (E)-cinnamaldehyde. Applying the in vitro microdilution method, it was found that all essential oils were active in inhibiting the growth of all tested 21 pre- and post-harvest phytopathogenic and saprophytic fungi. MIC and MFC ranged from 1.2 mg ml-1 up to 22.6 mg ml-1 according to the test oil. Rosemary oil showed the best antifungal potential, followed by black pepper and cinnamon oil. Sage and Spanish sage oils also exhibited significant antifungal potential. Vetiver oil demonstrated the lowest antifungal activity. Essential oils that showed considerable antifungal potential are good candidates for further examination of their use in preventing and/or protection of medicinal plants, their seeds and dried drugs against fungal infections, both in the field and in warehouses.

Effect of fungicidal essential oils against Botrytis cinerea and Rhizopus stolonifer rot fungus in vitro conditions

The development of natural crop protection products as alternatives to the use of synthetic fungicides is currently popular. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antifungal effects of several essential oils against the fungal pathogens, Botrytis cinerea and Rhizopus stolonifer, under in vitro condition. Four essential oils (fennel, black caraway, peppermint and thyme) were each tested at five concentrations (0, 200, 400, 600 or 800 μl l−1). In vitro results showed that the essential oil of black caraway and fennel had the highest fungicidal effect against B. cinerea and R. stolonifer, respectively. The growth of B. cinerea was completely inhibited by the essential oil of black caraway at 400 μl l−1. Fennel oil perfectly inhibited growth of R. stolonifer fungus colonies at concentration higher than 600 μl L−1 in potato dextrose agar medium. Percentage of spores germination was the lowest in medium of Fennel and black caraway essential oils, and was the highest in Thyme ones. These results show that plant essential oils can have a strong effect on reducing post-harvest decay. These plant essential oils could provide an alternative to synthetic chemicals to control post-harvest phytopathogenic fungi on fruit.

Essential oil composition and antifungal activity of Pulicaria mauritanica Coss., against postharvest phytopathogenic fungi in apples

The application of essential oils is an alternative method of controlling the postharvest decay of apples, justified by the toxicity and the resistance of fungal pathogens to synthetic fungicides. Twenty-five compounds were identified for the first time in Pulicaria mauritanica essential oil, accounting for 94.3 g/100 g of the total oil. Carvotanacetone strongly dominated the oil composition with 87.3 g/100 g. The antifungal activity of the P. mauritanica oil was tested by the poisoned food (PF) technique and the volatile activity (VA) assay against three phytopathogenic fungi viz Alternaria sp., Penicillium expansum and Rhizopus stolonifer causing the deterioration for apples. The PF technique demonstrated significant inhibition of the mycelial growth of all strains (p < 0.05), with the complete inhibition of Alternaria sp., and P. expansum at MIC = 2 μL/mL. Similarly, the VA assay showed that the essential oil strongly inhibits all three fungi. The complete inhibition of the mycelial growth of Alternaria sp., was observed at MIQ = 20 μL/disc, and that of P. expansum and R. stolonifer was observed at MIQ = 40 μL/disc. The overall results suggest that P. mauritanica essential oil have a potential as antifungal preservatives for the control of postharvest diseases of apple.

Efficacy of plant essential oils to control post-harvest decay of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) fruit

SummaryThe development of natural crop protection products as alternatives to the use of synthetic fungicides is currently popular. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-fungal effects of several essential oils against the fungal pathogen, Botrytis cinerea, the causal agent of grey mould disease on sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Three essential oils (from fennel, black caraway, and peppermint) were each tested at five concentrations (0, 200, 400, 600, or 800 µl l–1). In vitro results showed that the essential oil of black caraway had the highest fungicidal effect. The growth of grey mould was completely inhibited by the essential oil of black caraway at 400 µl l–1. In vivo, the essential oils of black caraway, fennel, and peppermint, at all concentrations, inhibited the growth of grey mould on sweet cherry fruit compared with the untreated controls. The application of each essential oil decreased the percentage loss in fresh weight significantly, and increased the storage-life of the fruit. Black caraway oil, at 800 µl l–1, maintained significantly higher soluble solids contents, titrable acidity values, and anthocyanin and carbohydrate contents than all other treatments. These results show that plant essential oils can have a strong effect on reducing post-harvest decay and improving the quality of sweet cherry fruit.These plant essential oils could provide an alternative to synthetic chemicals to control post-harvest phytopathogenic fungi on sweet cherry fruit.

Assessment of the efficiency of essential oils in the preservation of postharvest papaya in an antimicrobial packaging system

Rot and damage caused by post-harvest phytopathogenic fungi affect fruit quality. Essential oils (EO) are considered as an alternative to fungicides. Postharvest diseases of fruits may also be controlled by the bagging approach and the use of antimicrobial packaging. Based on the beneficial properties of EO and the concepts of bagging and antimicrobial packaging, this study aimed to develop sachets containing EO to be used as part of an antimicrobial packaging system. The activities of oregano, cinnamon and lemon grass EO were evaluated testing the sachets in vitro against the phytopathogenic fungi Alternaria alternata, Fusarium semitectum, Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Rhizopus stolonifer. The effects of the sachets on the microbiological and physicochemical parameters of post-harvest papaya were also evaluated. Both pure and sachet-incorporated EO showed antifungal activity in vitro against all tested fungi. For papaya, sachets containing cinnamon, oregano and lemon grass showed a significant reduction in the growth of mesophilic aerobic bacteria, yeasts and mould, with the cinnamon sachet causing the greatest reduction in microorganisms at the end of the storage time. Physicochemical parameters of papaya, such as weight loss, colour, firmness, total soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio and pH were not significantly altered by the presence of EO sachets, thus not affecting the natural ripening process of the papaya.

Study of antifungal activities of seven essential oils from some Iranian medicinal plants against various postharvest phytopathogenic fungi

The aim of this study was to find the antifungal activities of seven essential oils from some Iranian medicinal plants that have maximum (100%) inhibition effect on the mycelium growth of postharvest phytopathogenic fungi. Among 20 examined species belonging to three families, only 7 species could stop the mycelium growth of phytopathogenic fungi. The selected plants include Trachyspermum ammi, Zataria multiflora Boiss., Satureia hortensis, Caryophillum aromaticus, Menthe piperita, Cuminum cyminum L. and Carum carvi, and fungi include Aspergillus flavus, Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium italicum, Penicillium expansum, Penicillium commune, Rhizopus stolonifer and Rhizopus lyococcus. The results showed that the essential oil of these plants could stop the mycelium growth at 500 ppm, but could not completely inhibit the spore germination, however reduced the spore germination to 80–90%. Among the fungi Rhizopus stolonifer and Rhizopus lyococcus are more resistant to the inhibition effects of essential oils. Among the plants, Cuminum cyminum L. and Carum carvi were slightly weaker than other plants. Also except for Cuminum cyminum L. and Carum carvi, the essential oils of other plants had fungicide effect while these two plants in most cases had fugistatic effect. The results showed that these essential oils can be used as an effective alternative control method.

Effect of Zataria multiflora essential oil on Alternaria alternata in vitro and in an assay on tomato fruits

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of Zataria multiflora essential oil at different concentrations (0, 100, 200, 300 and 500 ppm) on the growth rate and morphogenesis of Alternaria alternata in in vitro and in vivo conditions. The antifungal activity of the oil was tested by the poisoned food technique (PF) and volatile activity assay (VA). The mycelial growth of the test fungus was completely inhibited at oil concentrations of 500 and 200 ppm in PF and VA assessments, respectively. Determination of conidial germination in the presence of the oil was also carried out and it was found that the oil caused 100% inhibition of conidial germination at the level of 300 ppm. Light Microscopy (LM) showed morphogenic changes in the test fungus with 300 ppm of the oil. These changes included a significant decrease and loss of conidiation, severely collapsed and squashed hyphae, a decreased hyphal diameter and granulation of cytoplasm. The treatment with the oil also resulted in highly lobate and bulbous anomalous structures at the hyphal tips. GC-MS evaluations of the essential oil revealed that the latter consisted of 14 compounds of which carvacrol was the major component. In vivo Z. multiflora oil at 500 ppm effectively reduced the percentage of decayed tomatoes. Findings of the current study suggest that essential oils could be used as an alternative for chemicals for control of postharvest phytopathogenic fungi on fruits or vegetables.