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

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Abstract

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 control toxin production. The objectives of this study were to examine the effect of plant extracts of Eucalyptus globulus and Calendula officinalis on the growth of strains of Alternaria alternata and A. arborescens, on pathogenicity of tomato fruits and mycotoxin production. The growth bioassays showed that the ethanolic and chloroformic fractions of E. globulus were the most effective in reducing growth of A. alternata (66–74 %) and A. arborescens (86–88 %), respectively at 2500 μg/g. The effects of plant extracts on mycotoxin biosynthesis were variable and strain dependent. The most effective fractions in decreasing mycotoxin accumulation were the ethanolic and chloroformic extracts of E. globulus, which reduced tenuazonic acid by 89 %, alternariol by 75–94 % and almost complete inhibition of alternariol monomethyl ether. All the tested fractions reduced percentage of infected tomato fruits when compared to the controls. The ethanolic and chloroformic fractions of E. globulus completely inhibited growth of A. alternata and A. arborescens on unwounded fruits and reduced the aggressiveness on wounded fruits of strains of both species significantly.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support from Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBACYT 2002011020001201) and Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCyT, PICT 2007-01113) is acknowledged. A. Patriarca is a member of Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Microbiología de Alimentos, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón II, 3° Piso, Ciudad Universitaria (C1428EGA), Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Lucía da Cruz Cabral, Virginia Fernández Pinto & Andrea Patriarca

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  1. Lucía da Cruz Cabral
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  2. Virginia Fernández Pinto
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  3. Andrea Patriarca
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Correspondence to Lucía da Cruz Cabral.

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da Cruz Cabral, L., Fernández Pinto, V. & Patriarca, A. Control of infection of tomato fruits by Alternaria and mycotoxin production using plant extracts. Eur J Plant Pathol 145, 363–373 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-015-0850-1

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