Evaluation of Essential Oils for Antifungal Activity Against Antracnose Disease (Colletotrichum sp) Attacks Banana Fruit in Strorage

By : M. Istianto, Eliza, and C. Hermanto

Indonesian Tropical Fruit Research Institute, PO BOX 5 Solok West Sumatera

for more information e-mail : Ir_Mizu@yahoo.co.id

ABSTRACT

Antracnose, caused by Colletotrichum sp, is important disease that attack banana fruit in storage. The technologies recommended to control antracnose are applying fungicides and heat treatment. Although these fungicides control antracnose effectively, they have negative effect to consumer especially in healthy. Alternative technologies that consider the safety of consumer and environment are needed to replace fungicide application. Essential oils have long been recognized as having good fungitoxic compounds. The aim of this experiment was to understand antifungal activity of essential oils extracted from Cinnamomum bumanni, Cymbopogon nardus, and Citrus grandis against antracnose disease. The experimant was conducted in laboratory of Indonesian Tropical Fruit Resesearch Institute at room temperature. The result showed that essential oils had negative effect to the growth of Colletotrichum sp’s mycelial. Essential oil extracted from C. bumanni had highest inhibition value (65-72%) to the mycelial growth of Colletotrichum sp, followed with inhibition value of C. nardus (62-64%) and C. grandis (14-19%) at last observation. These results showed that essential oil had good potency to be developed as alternative technology that considered consumer and environment safety. The next research to evaluate these essential oil at lower temperature (cold storage) was suggested to be conducted because of distribution banana fruits for long distance usually use cold storage.