Control of nectarine fruits postharvest fungal rots caused by Botrytis Cinerea and Rhizopus Stolonifer via some essential oils

Nectarines (Prunus persica L. Bath) are very sensitive fruit to fungal infection. Today, the control of postharvest fruit diseases with essential oils (EOs) has been significantly noticed as a novel trend in biological preservation. In this study, volatile compounds of Cinnamon zeylanicum (CEO), Zataria multiflora (ZEO), and Satureja khuzestanica (SEO) were analyzed by Gas Chromatography–Mass spectroscopy. Also, the in vitro antifungal activities of EOs against Botrytis cinerea and Rhizopus stolonifer were evaluated at different concentrations. The in vivo antifungal activity of these EOs on artificially infected nectarine fruits was also considered. The major components were Thymol (32.68%) and Carvacrol (30.57%) for ZEO, cinnamaldehyde (80.82%) for CEO, and carvacrol (38.43%) for SEO. The application of different concentrations showed a decreasing trend in the fungus radial growth in all EOs. In the in vitro experiments, ZEO and CEO exhibited more significant mycelial inhibition results and reduction of the IC50, MIC and MFC values against Botrytis cinerea and Rhizopus stolonifer, respectively. However, in the in vitro experiments, none of the treatments were capable of completely inhibiting the growth of the fungi. According to the results of this study, ZEO and CEO could reduce the damage caused by these fungi.