Efeito do óleo essencial obtido de resíduos de aroeira no controle de Colletotrichum musae em bananas

Abstract

Anthracnose, a disease caused by the phytopathogen Colletotrichum musae, is the main post-harvest disease affecting bananas. It can infect green and ripe fruits, leading to significant losses of up to 40% of production. At the same time, the state of Espírito Santo is Brazil's largest producer of pink pepper (Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi), primarily supplying the international market. This production generates a large amount of residues, accounting for approximately 75% of the harvest. Developing products that utilize pink pepper, such as essential oil production from these residues, can enhance its added value and benefit the production chain. This study was conducted to identify a natural antifungal agent with the potential to inhibit this phytopathogen. In this case, essential oil from S. terebinthifolia Raddi residues (EOStR) was emulsified with 0.5% v v⁻¹ Tween 80 and Span 85, and its inhibitory effect against C. musae was evaluated. The constituents of OEStR were analyzed using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC/FID) and mass spectrometry (GC/MS), with δ-3-carene (28.11%), limonene (22.48%), and α-phellandrene (17.09%) identified as the major components. The EOStR emulsion remained physically stable for 28 days after undergoing stability tests. In vitro bioassay results revealed IC₅₀ and IC₉₀ values of 14.17 µL mL⁻¹ and 20.26 µL mL⁻¹, respectively, for conidial inhibition, and 28.92 µL mL⁻¹ and 57.05 µL mL⁻¹, respectively, for mycelial growth inhibition of C. musae. In vivo assays demonstrated that the Area Under the Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC) showed an 83.5% reduction in anthracnose incidence, with only 3% disease development in bananas after eight days. Therefore, EOStR shows strong potential as an effective antifungal agent against C. musae, with promising potential for use in organic farming and integrated disease management strategies, utilizing an abundant raw material from the state of Espírito Santo.