High efficacy plant-based treatments for citrus decay control
The postharvest control of citrus main pathogens (Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum) is mainly dependent on the use of synthetic fungicides, such as imazalil, o-phenylphenol, thiabendazole or pyrimethanil, among others.
However, the widespread use and presence of pesticide residues on fruit is becoming gradually questioned and restricted because of concerns about environment, consumer health and development of resistances, which has increased the demand for residue-free fruit and/or BIO-certified fruit.
As a result, alternative decay control methods are needed, and treatments based on natural products, such as plant extracts, or inorganic salts, the so called green chemistry treatments, could be an alternative.
However, to be used at industrial level, these treatments should have high decay control efficacy. Green chemistry treatments are usually less effective than conventional fungicide treatments, have a higher variability and little residual effect over time.
Citrosol has developed a green drencher/water tank treatment, based on the plant-based proprietary formulation Greencide®, with high efficacy in decay control, reduced variability, residual effect even in prolonged storage periods and a high permissible delay between inoculation and treatment.
An efficacy range of 80-100% after 7 days of shelf-life test (20°C, 85% RH) was obtained in a large set of independent experiments applying Greencide® treatments on fruit artificially inoculated with Penicillium digitatum, while the reference conventional treatment with imazalil had an efficacy range of 89-100%. Greencide® treatments showed higher efficacy and less variability than current alternative treatments based on BIO-certified products, such as peracetic acid or sodium bicarbonate.
Greencide® treatments complemented with Citrocide® PC peracetic acid disinfection (BIO-certified) in the washing machine and a proper waxing with PlantSeal® coatings (BIO and Vegan certified), will contribute to achieve excellent arrivals to distant destinations using only green chemistry.
Parra, J., Murciano, C. and Orihuel-Iranzo, B. (2024). High efficacy plant-based treatments for citrus decay control. Acta Hortic. 1399, 265-274
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2024.1399.34
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2024.1399.34
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2024.1399.34
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2024.1399.34
green chemistry, green treatments, plant-based, citrus decay control, Penicillium digitatum
English