Effect of Tea Tree Oil on Postharvest Fruit Quality and Inhibition of Pathogenic Fungi of Syzygium Samarangense During Storage

Key words: 
• tea tree oil /
• Syzygium samarangense /
• pathogenic fungi /
• fruit quality /

Abstract: Wax apple（ Syzygium samarangense） fruits were dipped or fumigated with tea tree oil at different concentrations to investigate the effects of tea tree oil treatments on postharvest fruit quality of wax apple during storage,and the inhibition effect of tea tree oil on the postharvest pathogenic fungi infecting wax apple. The inhibition effects of the treatments were observed according to the mycelial growth rate of the pathogenic fungi by using the filter paper diffusion method. The results showed that tea tree oil treatments reduced the fruit decay index,and that the treated fruits had higher firmness and higher contents of soluble solids,titratable acid and vitamin C under storage. The treatments significantly improved the postharvest quality of wax apple during storage,Dipping treatment with 10% or fumigation treatment with 500 μL·L^-1of tea tree oil had the best effects on the postharvest quality of the wax apple fruits. The result also proved the tea tree oil can significantly inhibit the growth of the pathogenic fungi of Pestalotiopsis guepinii and Phytophthora palmivora infecting wax apple fruit.