Abstract

LANDERO VALENZUELA, Nadia et al. Essential oil of Cynnamomum zeylanicum: control alternative for Penicillium expansum on pear in postharvest. Rev. Mex. Cienc. Agríc [online]. 2016, vol.7, n.5, pp.1017-1028. ISSN 2007-0934.

The major postharvest pear infection is caused by the fungus Penicillium expansum, resulting in significant global economic losses. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of essential oil of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) on the development of Penicillium expansum in vitro and in vivo on postharvest pear fruit. The cinnamon essential oil was tested at three different concentrations (60, 120 and 300 µL L-1), considering variables that were mycelial growth, sporulation and severity of the disease produced in pear fruit for eight days. The results of the in vitro experiment showed that when the concentration of cinnamon oil was 300 µL L-1 pathogen mycelial growth was inhibited 81 h after being sown in the culture medium. The generated mathematical models estimate that allowed spore production decreases in concentrations above 135 µL L-1. In the experiment in vivo development of the disease it was statistically similar when the pathogen was growing on pear fruit sprinkled with 300 µL L-1 essential oil of cinnamon compared to the development of the disease on pear fruit sprinkled with Imazalil. This supports the idea that cinnamon oil can be a compound useful to maintain the shelf life of fruit postharvest pear.

Keywords : cinnamon; pears diseases; postharvest; natural extracts.