Effect of Pistacia atlantica Subsp. Kurdica Essential oil and Acetic acid on Botrytis cinerea Growth in Culture Media and Strawberry Fruits

The effect of Pistacia atlantica Subsp. Kurdica essential oil (EO) and acetic acid against Botrytis cinerea growth was investigated in synthetic media and strawberry fruits. The antifungal assay was determined on PDA plates amended with sixteen concentrations of this oil (500, 1000, 1500 to 26000 μι/ι). This study was conducted for acetic acid of 0.1% alone at concentrations of 5, 15 and 25% .Also 0.1% of each dilutions of acetic acid were added to a series of sterile molten PDA that contain different concentrations of essential oil ranging from 50 to 3000 μι/ι. EO inhibited radial growth on potato dextrose agar (PDA) in a dose-dependent manner. The growth was completely prevented by EO at 26000 μι/ι on PDA. In combination with 0.1% acetic acid 25% in fungal growth medium, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of EO reduced to 3000 μι/ι. During 21 days of cold storage at 4°C, the decay of strawberry fruits caused by B. cinerea was reduced to 10% by using MIC of EO. The results suggested the substitution of the antifungal chemicals by this EO and acetic acid as a natural inhibitor to control the growth of molds in fruits such as strawberry.

Pistacia atlantica; essential oil; Botrytis cinerea; strawberry; antifungal effect; acetic acid