Suppression of Fusarium sporotrichioides initiating peach fruit rot with microencapsulated antifungal sachet of clove essential oil tablets

Postharvest rot fungi affect the quality and quantity of perishable peach fruit. About 25–30% of the peaches deteriorate annually after harvest in Pakistan. The present study aimed at the development of an eco-friendly management strategy to reduce reliance on synthetic fungicides while maintaining a long shelf-life of peaches. Disease surveys were done in 2919–220 on local fruit markets of Rawalpindi Pakistan. Multi-locus sequence analysis (ITS, EF-1α and β-tubulin) revealed Fusarium sporotrichioides as major fungal peach fruit rot pathogen. In vitro screening of different concentrations (1.0, 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 mg/ml) of Syzygium aromaticum, Eucalyptus golobulus , Cinnamomum verum, Curcuma longa and Allium sativum essential oil, showed that S. aromaticum essential oil as highly effective (96%) against the growth of Fusarium rot. GCMS analysis revealed Eugenol as major antifungal component in S. aromaticum. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of S. aromaticum essential oil was further carried out by testing Essential Oil Tablets Encapsulated in Polypropylene Spun-bond Sachet (EOTEPSS). In vitro results of EOTEPSS showed maximum reduction (96.31%) in spore germination of pathogenic fungi. Results of in vivo experiment showed significant reduction in lesion diameter, disease severity and a prolonged shelf-life of peaches for more than two weeks against pre-inoculated peaches with Fusarium sporotrichioides at ambient temperature (7–38.5°C). The natural ripening process of peach was not affected by the presence of EOTEPSS as no significant alteration in weight loss of fruits was recorded. These findings suggest that the application of EOTEPSS is an economical and non-hazardous strategy against post-harvest rot fungi which enhance the shelf-life of peaches.