Effects of citral on post-harvest diseases of wax apple, snake fruit and longan

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine suitability of citral for controlling post-harvest disease of wax apple, snake fruit and longan. It is found that citral inhibited the fungal growth of longan fruits. While citral treatment less effective in inhibition of fungal growth of snake fruits and wax apple. Citral had an antifungal activity against the fungal growth based on the qualities attributes such as disease of incidence and disease of severity. However, the citral treatment had no influence on pH, flesh firmness and total soluble solid (TSS) of the fruits. Benomyl inhibited the fungal growth of the snake fruit and longan fruits compared fruit treated with citral and Tween 20 as well as untreated fruit. However, benomyl treatment also had no effect on pH, flesh firmness and total soluble solid (TSS) of the fruits. This result suggests that citral can be used as biofungicide to replace benomyl against the fungal growth of longan fruits.