In vitro antifungal activity of extracts of Mexican Chihuahuan Desert plants against postharvest fruit fungi.
Jasso de Rodríguez D., Rodríguez García R., Hernández Castillo F. D., Aguilar González C. N., Sáenz Galindo A., Villarreal Quintanilla J. A., Moreno Zuccolotto L. E.
Author Affiliation: Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Calzada Antonio Narro No. 1923, Colonia Buenavista, 25315, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico.
Industrial Crops and Products 34 : 960-966
Abstract : Chemical fungicides have been intensively used in the control of diseases in fruits in postharvest conditions; nevertheless these actions have developed resistance in the phytopathogens, have contaminated the atmosphere, and have affected people's health through residual toxic compounds present in the food for human consumption. The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro inhibiting activity of extracts of Lippia graveolens Kunth, Agave lechuguilla Torr. Yucca carnerosana (Trel.) Mc Kelvey and Yucca filifera Chaub., against Rhizopus stolonifer, Colletotricum gloesporoides and Penicillium digitatum the postharvest fungi that causes diseases in fruits of commercial interest. The plants were collected in the neighborhood of the cities of Saltillo and Torreon in the Southern Region of the State of Coahuila in the semi-arid zones of the North of Mexico. The extracts of the plants were obtained with ethanol and hexane as solvents, and the resin was separated of solvent in a rotary evaporator. The fungi were isolated of apple, mango and orange fruits and were then seeded in Potato-Dextrose-Agar medium; the bioassays were inoculated with fungi and developed in Petri dishes. The evaluated variables were: Inhibition of mycelial growth, and Inhibition of the number of spores. For the analysis of the information a completely randomized experimental design in factorial arrangement was used. The results showed that the ethanolic extracts of L. graveolens at 500 µl L-1 presented a fungicide effect of 100% against R. stolonifer, Y. filifera at 4000 µl L-1 inhibited 100% the pathogen. The hexanic extracts of L. graveolens presented an inhibition of 100% at 500 µl L-1. A. lechuguilla inhibited the pathogen in 100% at 3000 µl L-1. The extract of L. graveolens, A. lechugilla, Y. carnerosana and Y. filifera showed its inhibiting activity in different percentages against the development of R. stolonifer, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and P. digitatum. This is the first scientific report that shows anti-fungal activity of ethanolic and hexanic extracts of L. graveolens, A. lechuguilla, Y. carnerosana, and Y. filifera against R. stolonifer, C. gloesporoides, and P. digitatum.