SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF CHITOSAN WITH SELECTED PLANT ESSENTIAL OIL TO INHIBIT THE Aspergillus niger DEVELOPMENT IN APRICOT (Prunus armeniaca L.)
GULSHAN IRSHAD
Department of Plant Pathology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
MALEEHA MARYAM
Department of Plant Pathology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
SALMAN GHUFFAR *
Vegetable Research Station Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan.
MUHAMMAD SAJJAD SAEED
Vegetable Research Institute, AARI, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.
MUHAMMAD SHEHZAD
Department of Entomology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
SADIA SARDAR
Vegetable Research Station Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan.
MUHAMMAD NAEEM
College of Agronomy & Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan Province, China.
AMAR MEHMOOD
Department of Plant Pathology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
TEHMINA AKBAR
Department of Plant Pathology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
XIAOLI CHANG
College of Agronomy & Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Crop Strip Intercropping System, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan Province, China.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study assessed the effectiveness of chitosan (CHI) and selected plant essential oil (EO) alone and in combination to control the mycelial growth of Aspergillus niger identified as a potential causing agent of black rot (BR) in Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.). The efficacy of chitosan (CHI) (6, 9 and 12 mg/ mL) and moringa essential oil (MEO) at 0.9, 1.2 and 1.5 mg/ml concentrations were evaluated. Results revealed that mixtures of CHI (12 mg/mL) and MEO (1.5 mg/ml) strongly inhibited mycelial growth (98.7%) and showed synergistic inhibitory effect on the tested A. niger under lab condition. The coating application of CHI (12 mg/mL) and MEO (1.5 mg/ml) mixtures that presented synergistic interactions decreased the decay percentage (DP) and weight loss (%) of apricot cv. Skardu which artificially inoculated with A.niger inoculum over 6 days of storage at room temperature (25ºC) in different packaging boxes. It is concluded that coating application with mixtures of CHI and MEO is an effective management strategy for controlling the post-harvest development of black rot in apricot.
Keywords: Apricot, Aspergillus niger, chitosan, moringa essential oil, synergistic effect