Molecular Characterization of Strawberry Mold and Antifungal Potential of Psidium guajava and Laurus nobilis Extracts for Post-Harvest Quality Preservation | ||
| Alexandria Journal of Agricultural Sciences | ||
| Articles in Press, Corrected Proof, Available Online from 14 August 2025 PDF (1015.83 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/alexja.2025.411297.1160 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Helmy A. Aamer1; Soad M. Ahmed1; Rania El-Tanbouly2; Sarah El-Messeiry3; Mahmoud Gaber* 4 | ||
| 1Department of Pesticide Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture (El-Shatby), Alexandria University, Alexandria 21545, Egypt | ||
| 2Department of Floriculture, Ornamental Horticulture, and Landscape Gardening, Faculty of Agriculture (El-Shatby), Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21545, Egypt | ||
| 3Department of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture (El-Shatby), Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21545, Egypt | ||
| 4Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture (El-Shatby), Alexandria University 21545, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Postharvest decay, especially gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea, severely restricts the shelf life of strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa Duch) and causes significant economic losses. This study investigated the potential of Psidium guajava (Pg) and Laurus nobilis (Ln) leaf extracts as natural antifungal agents, both individually and in an Arabic gum (GA) edible coating, to preserve strawberry quality. Phytochemical analysis showed that Pg extract was rich in phenolics (63.14 mg GAE/g), while Ln extract was higher in flavonoids (29.15 mg QE/g), both exhibiting significant antioxidant and antifungal characters against B. cinerea. In an in vivo trial, strawberries were treated and stored at 4°C for twelve days. The GA-Pg composite was the most effective. It reduced decay incidence (DI) to 42.22% and decay severity (DS) to 15.56%, representing a substantial improvement over the control fruit, which had a DI of 97.78% and DS of 58.33%. Furthermore, these composite treatments excelled at preserving critical quality attributes, including total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), ascorbic acid, and phytochemical content (total phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanins), thereby maintaining higher antioxidant capacity. At a molecular level, the GA-Pg and GA-Ln treatments significantly reduce the relative expression of pectin-degrading genes, pectin lyase (PL) and pectin esterase (PE), which are responsible for fruit softening. These findings demonstrate that a composite edible coating of Arabic gum with P. guajava or L. nobilis extract is a promising, eco-friendly postharvest strategy to control fungal decay, maintain the quality of fruit, and extend the life span of strawberries. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Guava; Laura; Polyphenols; Strawberry; Gray mold; Postharvest; Antifungal | ||
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