Efficiency ofArtemisia nilagirica(Clarke) Pamp. essential oil as a mycotoxicant against postharvest mycobiota of table grapes

BACKGROUND In order to get a potent botanical fungicide for the management of fungal decay of table grapes, an experiment was conducted in which 20 essential oils of higher plants were screened at 0.33 µL mL−1 against dominant fungi causing decay of table grapes, including Aspergillus flavus, A. niger and A. ochraceus. Furthermore, the minimum inhibitory/fungicidal concentration, fungitoxic spectrum and mycotoxin inhibition activity of the most potent oil were determined. The efficacy of the most potent oil in preservation of table grapes, along with organoleptic evaluation, was also carried out by storing 1 kg of grapes in the oil vapour. RESULTS Artemisia nilagirica oil was found to be most toxic, exhibiting 100% mycelia inhibition of all test fungi. Moreover, 0.29 µL mL−1 A. nilagirica oil was fungistatic and 0.58 µL mL−1 was fungicidal for all tested species of Aspergillus. The oil exhibited a broad range of fungitoxicity against other grape berry-rotting fungi. Artemisia nilagirica oil completely suppressed the growth and mycotoxin (AFB1 and OTA) secretion of aflatoxigenic and ochratoxigenic strains of Aspergillus at 1.6 µL mL−1. During the in vivo experiment, fumigation of 1 kg of table grapes with 200 and 300 µL dosage of A. nilagirica oil enhanced the shelf life for up to 9 days. The oil did not show any phytotoxic effect. Besides, oil application did not substantively change the sensory properties of the fruits. CONCLUSION Artemisia nilagirica oil can be used as an alternative botanical fungicide for the control of fruit-rotting fungi of stored grapes. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry