Antifungal effects of Conyza bonariensis (L.) Cronquist essential oil against pathogenic Colletotrichum musae and its incorporation in gum Arabic coating to reduce anthracnose development in banana during storage

AIM: This study evaluated the inhibitory effects on mycelial growth and damage on membrane integrity and enzymatic activity caused by Conyza bonariensis essential oil (CBEO) on distinct pathogenic Colletotrichum musae isolates, as well as the preventive and curative effects of coatings with gum Arabic (GA) and CBEO to reduce anthracnose development in banana during room temperature storage. The effects of GA‐CBEO coatings on some physicochemical parameters of banana were investigated during room temperature storage. METHOD AND RESULTS: CBEO (0.4–1 μl ml⁻¹) inhibited the mycelial growth of C. musae isolates in laboratory media. The exposure of C. musae conidia to CBEO (0.6 μl ml⁻¹) for 3 and 5 days resulted in high percentages of conidia with damaged cytoplasmic membrane and without enzymatic activity. Coatings with GA (0.1 mg ml⁻¹) and CBEO (0.4–1 μl ml⁻¹) reduced the anthracnose development in banana artificially contaminated with C. musae during storage. In most cases, the disease severity indexes found for GA‐CBEO‐coated banana were lower than or similar to those for banana treated with commercial fungicide. GA‐CBEO‐coated banana had reduced alterations in physicochemical parameters during storage, indicating more prolonged storability. CONCLUSION: The application of GA‐CBEO coatings is effective to delay the anthracnose development in banana during storage, which should help to reduce the amount of fungicides used to control postharvest diseases in this fruit. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is the first study showing the efficacy of coatings formulated with GA and CBEO to delay the development of anthracnose in banana, as well as to decrease alterations in physicochemical parameters indicative of postharvest quality of this fruit during storage. In a practical point of view, GA‐CBEO coatings could be innovative strategies to delay the anthracnose development and postharvest losses in banana.