Potentiality of Botanicals Against Post-harvest Fruit Decay in Kinnow Caused by Penicillium digitatum

An experiment was laid out to evaluate the fungitoxic potential of some botanical extracts against the pathogen (Penicillium digitatum) under in vitro conditions. Extracts which rendered promising fungitoxicity against P. digitatum were further explored for their bioefficacy to manage the fruit decay. All botanical extracts tested showed antifungal properties against the pathogen. Aqueous extract of garlic (Allium sativum) cloves proved their superiority over rest of the extracts by inhibiting 71.67 per cent mycelial growth of the pathogen over control followed by henna (Lawsonia inermis) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus amygdalina), which inhibited 68.58 and 64.63 per cent growth, respectively. Fruits treated by dipping in solution of garlic extract (@ 15%) resulted in 72.95 and 69.20% reduction in decay, respectively in pre- and post-inoculation treatments over untreated control. Henna and eucalyptus extracts proved next in order of bio-efficacy and protected the treated fruits to the extent of 66.11 and 59.60 per cent in pre-inoculation and 61.27 and 56.51 per cent in post-inoculation treatments, respectively.