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Avocado by-products to control Citrus green mold
Extracts of avocado stones and peels inhibited in vitro Penicillium digitatum growth by more than 95%, and in vivo, by 30 and 53%, depending on the tested species
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The industrial processing of fresh avocados generates a large amount of by-products, such as stones (AVS) and peels (APE), that represent a high percentage of the weight of the product and can cause environmental problems.
These by-products are rich in bioactive compounds, which may have antifungal properties and represent a potential alternative to synthetic chemical fungicides for the control of postharvest fungal diseases of fresh horticultural produce.
The extraction of high value-added compounds and consequent valorization of agri-food by-products is in line with the principles of the circular bioeconomy, the EU Green Deal, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
In this work, AVS and APE extracts were obtained using green technologies such as ultrasound (UAE) and microwaveassisted (MAE) extractions.
The total phenolic content (TPC) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of the extracts were determined.
Antifungal activity against Penicillium digitatum, the causative agent of citrus green mold, one of the most economically important postharvest diseases of citrus fruits worldwide, was first assessed in vitro using microtiter plate assays.
The curative activity of promising extracts was then tested in vivo on citrus fruits artificially wound inoculated, treated 24 h later with a 30 μL extract drop in the inoculation site, and incubated for 7 days at 20 °C.
Results
Regardless of source and extraction method, all extracts showed comparable TPC and TAC.
In vitro, all AVS and APE extracts inhibited fungal growth by more than 95%.
In vivo, the AVS-UAE extract, at a concentration of 8 mg/mL, reduced disease incidence (percentage of infected wounds) on ‘Tango’ mandarins and ‘Lanelate’ oranges by 30 and 53%, and disease severity (lesion diameter) by 10 and 69%, respectively.
These findings suggest that AVS-UAE extract holds promise as an eco-friendly and sustainable postharvest treatment to be included within non-polluting integrated disease management (NPIDM) strategies for the control of citrus green mold.
Sources
Lima de Souza, R., Pérez-Gago, M. B., Palou, L. 2025. Postharvest application of avocado by-product extracts to control Citrus green mold. Libro de Resúmenes 9th Workshop GDL SOI Postharvest, Postharvest Management of Mediterranean Crops, Palermo, Italia, p. 36.
https://redivia.gva.es/handle/20.500.11939/9092
Picture, Potenciamiento de la industria del aguacate mediante el desarrollo de materiales-DIY
file:///C:/Users/info/Dropbox/00%20Contenidos%20terceros%20a%20partir%20130325%20DROPBOX/Potenciamiento_de_la_industria_del_aguacate_median.pdf
