Inhibitory effects of lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) on stem-end rot of mango caused by Lasiodiplodia theobromae

Phytochemicals from natural sources are increasingly recognized as promising substitutes for synthetic fungicides. The current study assessed the effectiveness of lemongrass extract (LGE) in managing stem-end rot diseases in mango fruit caused by the fungus Lasiodiplodia theobromae. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for LGE was determined to be 2.00 g/L, indicating its potential use as a preventative, as well as for simultaneous and curative measure for stem-end rot diseases in mango fruit. Moreover, results revealed that LGE at 2.0 g/L concentration outperformed synthetic fungicides (mancozeb 2.5 g/L) in both toxicity and effective volume concentration against L. theobromae. These findings underscore the potential of LGE as a possible substitute to conventional chemical fungicides in agricultural practices.

Twenty-nine chemical compounds were identified in LGE. The four major compounds were as follows: 2-monopalmitin (19.64%), α-citral (16.44%), α-monostearin (13.95%), and β -citral (12.00%).