Combining plant extracts and hot water treatments for the management of postharvest mango anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides).

Mango anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides), is a major postharvest disease that significantly impacts mango production and consumption globally. This study aimed to evaluate the combined effect of plant extracts and hot water treatments on the development of anthracnose and the preservation of postharvest quality in mangoes. In vitro tests using the food poisoning technique assessed the efficacy of acetone, ethyl acetate, hexane, and methanol extracts from nine different medicinal plant species against C. gloeosporioides. Among the tested extracts, Ruta chalepensis demonstrated the most pronounced effect, inhibiting mycelial growth by more than 85%. Extracts from Allium sativum also reduced mycelial growth by 80%. Furthermore, aqueous extracts from three effective plant species identified from the in vitro tests were combined with hot water treatments (HWT) to evaluate their impact on managing postharvest anthracnose. The combined treatments significantly (p < 0.05) affected anthracnose development on mangoes. The most substantial reduction in anthracnose severity was observed with treatments involving R. chalepensis and A. sativum at hot water temperatures of 55 °C and 50 °C. These treatments also significantly improved fruit marketability and maintained postharvest quality. In conclusion, the combined application of A. sativum with HWT at 55 °C and 50 °C, as well as R. chalepensis extract with HWT at the same temperatures, effectively reduced anthracnose intensity and improved mango fruit marketability by over 80% without affecting postharvest fruit quality indicators such as weight loss, TSS, pH, TA.