Control of infection of tomato fruits by Alternaria and mycotoxin production using plant extracts

DA CRUZ CABRAL, LUCÍA; FERNÁNDEZ PINTO, VIRGINIA; PATRIARCA, ANDREA

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PLANT PATHOLOGY

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2016 vol. 145 p. 363 - 373

0929-1873

Tomato fruits are susceptible to infection by Alternaria species.In addition, Alternaria species may contaminate the fruits with mycotoxins.There is thus interest in control systems to minimise pathogenicity and controltoxin production. The objectives of this study were to examine the effect ofplant extracts of Eucalyptus globulus and Calendula officinalis on the growthof strains of Alternaria alternata and A. arborescens, on pathogenicity oftomato fruits and mycotoxin production. The growth bioassays showed that theethanolic and chloroformic fractions of E. globulus were the most effective inreducing growth of A. alternata (66?74 %) and A. arborescens (86?88 %), respectivelyat 2500 μg/g. The effects of plant extracts on mycotoxin biosynthesis werevariable and strain dependent. The most effective fractions in decreasing mycotoxinaccumulation were the ethanolic and chloroformic extracts of E. globulus, whichreduced tenuazonic acid by 89 %, alternariol by 75?94 % and almost completeinhibition of alternariol monomethyl ether. All the tested fractions reducedpercentage of infected tomato fruits when compared to the controls. Theethanolic and chloroformic fractions of E. globulus completely inhibited growthof A. alternata and A. arborescens on unwounded fruits and reduced theaggressiveness on wounded fruits of strains of both species significantly.