Antifungal studies of lemongrass (Cympopogon citratus L.) as an alternative strategy to control postharvest fungal causing anthracnose of papaya (Carica papaya L.)

Abstract

This research involves the isolation of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides from papaya which is affected by anthracnose and evaluate the antifungul activity of lemongrass extract on C. gloeosporioides. The lemongrass extract at the concentration of 10% has found to be very effective in restricting the C. gloeosporioides grown in medium, whereas the lemongrass extract concentration at 30% is effective in inhibiting anthracnose disease on papaya and both the exsperiments shows a significant results. It showed that, for the 30% concentration of lemongrass extraction sprayed on the surface of papaya does not show any changes in the aspects of color index and weight loss throughout the storage period. The present study suggests that, the use of lemongrass extraction is an alternative to the use of synthetic fungicides to control anthracnose on papaya.