Mexican Journal
of Phytopathology

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• Scientific Article

Biodegradables films with fungistatic activity for the postharvest control of Fusarium solani in Hass avocado fruit

By Wendy Abril Flores Pérez, Nemesio Villa Ruano, Efraín Rubio Rosas*

* Corresponding Author. Email: efrain.rubio@correo.buap.mx / Institution: Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla

Accepted: 11/July/2023 – Published: 23/August/2023 – DOI: https://doi.org/10.18781/R.MEX.FIT.2303-4

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Abstract Little is known on the use of biodegradable films for the control of diseases in crops of agricultural importance. Consequently, the objective of this work was to determine the efficacy of chitosan hybrid films impregnated with thyme essential oil on Hass avocado fruits previously infected with Fusarium solani isolated from the northeastern highlands of Puebla, Mexico. The native strain of F. solani was morphologically and molecularly identified and the fungistatic activity of three chitosan films supplemented with 0.7% (FT1), 1.0% (FT2) and 1.3% (FT3) of thyme essential oil was evaluated in situ on the growth of F. solani in avocado fruits. Texture, transmittance and opacity of the films were obtained by scanning electron microscopy and UV-Vis spectrometry, respectively. Overall, it was recorded that films with a higher concentration of thyme essential oil (1-1.3% w/v) presented lower transmittance in the UV light range and higher opacity. Avocado fruits infected with F. solani simultaneously treated with FT2 and FT3 reduced the appearance of symptoms while preserved firmness, as well as fiber, fat, reducing sugars, and protein content (p < 0.01). In the same context, these materials promoted the conservation of the content of the nutraceuticals linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid and palmitoleic acid for 21 days. These results suggest that the hybrid films generated in the present study have the ability to control fusariosis caused by this fungus, prolonging the shelf life of Hass avocado fruit.

Keywords: Chitosan, Thymus vulgaris, phytopathogens, rot, bromatological analysis, fatty acids

Figure 1. Morphology of Fusariun solani. A) Radial growth observed from the obverse of Petri dish in PDA after 7 days. B) Radial growth observed from the reverse of Petri dish. C) Macroconida observed at 50X without staining. D) Microconidia observed at 50X stained with cotton blue.

Figure 2. Phylogenetic tree of Fusarium solani with concatenated sequences of ITS and EF-1α. The strain F. solani isolated from the northeast highland of Puebla is remarked in bold font.