Antifungal Activity of Essential Oils of Ocimum gratissimum and Cymbopogon citratus Leaves Against Post–harvest Fruit Rot of Citrus sinensis
Kanife, U., Ebabhi, A., Ofodile, L., Onyeaghasiri, F., Obayiuwana, A., Adekunle, A., Ayodeji, A. (2025). Antifungal Activity of Essential Oils of Ocimum gratissimum and Cymbopogon citratus Leaves Against Post–harvest Fruit Rot of Citrus sinensis. EKB Journal Management System, 53(2), 198-211. doi: 10.21608/ejp.2025.370122.1136
Uche Kanife; Abosede Margaret Ebabhi; Lauretta Nwanneka Ofodile; Faustina Uloma Onyeaghasiri; Amarachukwu Chigozie Obayiuwana; Adedotun Adeyinka Adekunle; Adekunle Ayo Ayodeji. "Antifungal Activity of Essential Oils of Ocimum gratissimum and Cymbopogon citratus Leaves Against Post–harvest Fruit Rot of Citrus sinensis". EKB Journal Management System, 53, 2, 2025, 198-211. doi: 10.21608/ejp.2025.370122.1136
Kanife, U., Ebabhi, A., Ofodile, L., Onyeaghasiri, F., Obayiuwana, A., Adekunle, A., Ayodeji, A. (2025). 'Antifungal Activity of Essential Oils of Ocimum gratissimum and Cymbopogon citratus Leaves Against Post–harvest Fruit Rot of Citrus sinensis', EKB Journal Management System, 53(2), pp. 198-211. doi: 10.21608/ejp.2025.370122.1136
Kanife, U., Ebabhi, A., Ofodile, L., Onyeaghasiri, F., Obayiuwana, A., Adekunle, A., Ayodeji, A. Antifungal Activity of Essential Oils of Ocimum gratissimum and Cymbopogon citratus Leaves Against Post–harvest Fruit Rot of Citrus sinensis. EKB Journal Management System, 2025; 53(2): 198-211. doi: 10.21608/ejp.2025.370122.1136

Antifungal Activity of Essential Oils of Ocimum gratissimum and Cymbopogon citratus Leaves Against Post–harvest Fruit Rot of Citrus sinensis

Egyptian Journal of Phytopathology
Volume 53, Issue 2, December 2025, Pages 198-211    PDF (793.42 K)
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.21608/ejp.2025.370122.1136
Authors
Uche Kanife* 1; Abosede Margaret Ebabhi2; Lauretta Nwanneka Ofodile3; Faustina Uloma Onyeaghasiri4; Amarachukwu Chigozie Obayiuwana5; Adedotun Adeyinka Adekunle6; Adekunle Ayo Ayodeji7
1Department of Biological Sciences, Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos , Nigeria
2Department of Education, Biology Unit,Distance Learning Institute, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
3Department of Biological Sciences, Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
4Department of Microbiology, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
5Department of Biological Science,Augustine University, Ilara, Epe, Lagos,Nigeria
6Department of Botany, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
7Department of Statistics,Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
Abstract
Citrus sinensis fruit is susceptible to post-harvest fungal rots.  Eight fungal isolates were  isolated from diseased Citrus sinensis fruits ,they were identified via Sanger sequencing with Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Aspergillus flavus showing high pathogenicity (≥75%), hence most virulent causing post-harvest rot in Citrus sinensis. This study investigated the effectiveness of essential oils from Ocimum gratissimum and Cymbopogon citratus leaves against Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Aspergillus flavus. In vitro assays showed a dose-dependent antifungal effect. Cymbopogon citratus at 1.00 µg/ml exhibited the highest inhibition zones against Lasiodiplodia theobromae (86.10±0.11mm) and Aspergillus flavus (62.11±0.04mm), while Ocimum gratissimum caused inhibition zones of 72.18±1.90mm and 24.35±0.56mm, respectively. Both oils outperformed mancozeb at 2.00 µg/ml (25.33±0.58mm). The antifungal activity was linked to key compounds such as eugenol (7.73%), linalool(12.34%), nerolidiol 2 (5.28%) and beta.-isabolene(5.11%), cyclohexane (4.99%), caryophyllene (3.31%) in Ocimum gratissimum, and geranial(39.05%), neral(28.20%), geraniol(6.33%), limonene(5.08%), geranylacetate(2.46%), isogeranial(1.49%), limonene(0.83%) in Cymbopogon citratus. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis characterized the essential oils, revealing bioactive compounds. The findings suggest that these plant-derived essential oils can serve as effective bio-fungicides for controlling post-harvest rots in Citrus sinensis, promoting sustainable fruit production.
Keywords
Citrus sinensis; Essential oil; Ecofriendly; Post-harvest; Rot fungi
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