Abstracto
- Botrytis cinerea , the causal agent of gray mold in plants such as flowers, presents challenges due to increasing resistance to synthetic fungicides. In this context, essential oils (EOs) have emerged as a promising alternative. This study aimed to evaluate the antifungal activity of three EOs (cinnamon, citronella, and thyme) against B. cinerea in postharvest roses. Initially, B. cinerea was isolated and characterized from a greenhouse environment. Subsequently, antifungal performance was assessed using a volatile release method involving volumes ranging from 2 to 60 μL. Notably, citronella oil exhibited the most potent antifungal activity in vitro , for up to 14 days with only 15 μL of total volume. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis identified citronellal as the predominant component. Moreover, the application of 20–30 μL of citronella oil on a 4 cm2 cotton pad led to a reduction in fungal lesion size by 48.7–67.7 % compared to the untreated control. Phytotoxic effects were evaluated using colorimetry and confocal microscopy, revealing significant differences between pink, white, and yellow roses when exposed to citronella. Furthermore, confocal microscopy unveiled non-structural changes in rose cells exposed to citronella and showed the inhibition conidia germination in B. cinerea . Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
