Chitosomes incorporated with sweet basil oil (Ocimum basilicum L.): Protecting anthracnose and preserving the postharvest quality of 'Nam Dok Mai' mangoes

Mango cv. 'Nam Dok Mai' is highly susceptible to anthracnose and undergoes rapid degeneration once it reaches ripeness. The objective was to compare the effectiveness of sweet basil oil, liposome-incorporated with sweet basil oil and chitosan-coated liposomes (Chitosomes) incorporated with sweet basil oil treatments in suppressing Colletotrichum gloeosporioides growth, both in vitro and in vivo. The particle size, zeta potential, total phenol content and antioxidant activity of sweet basil oil and liposomes- and chitosomes-containing sweet basil oil were comparable. Furthermore, the study examined the effectiveness of chitosomes incorporated with sweet basil oil in preserving the postharvest quality of mangoes during storage at 25±2ºC. The result demonstrated that sweet basil oil could slow down the growth of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides mycelium. Chitosomes containing 4 and 6 µL mL⁻¹ of sweet basil oil effectively slowed down the mycelium growth and disease incidence in inoculated mangoes compared to liposomes containing sweet basil oil. Chitosomes containing 4 µL mL⁻¹ of sweet basil oil was chosen to investigate its effectiveness in preserving the postharvest quality of the mangoes compared to treatments using solely sweet basil oil and liposomes-containing sweet basil oil. Compared to other treatments, the treatment effectively inhibited disease incidence, delayed weight loss, and enhanced antioxidant activity in the mangoes. Both liposomes- and chitosomes- containing sweet basil oil maintained firmness, induced antioxidant enzyme activities, and delayed the ripening of the mangoes. To summarise, the chitosomes treatment is an effective approach to preserving the postharvest quality of the mangoes during storage.