Characterization and inhibitory activity of chitosan on hyphae growth and morphology of Botrytis cinerea plant pathogen

S. Silva Júnior, N. P. Stamford*, M. A. B. Lima, T. M. S. Arnaud, M. M. Pintado, B. F. Sarmento

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)
128 Downloads

Abstract

Low and high molecular weight chitosan were tested in different concentrations and growth times with the aim to evaluate the inhibitory activity against Botrytis cinerea, a very important plant pathogen. Tested chitosans were characterized by vibratory spectroscopy and elementary analyzes to determine the deacetylation degree. In addiction molar mass was estimated by viscosity measuring. Scanning electron microscopy was utilized for antimicrobial activity observation. Results showed that both chitosans markedly inhibited fungal growth, which was effected by incubation time and chitosan concentration. Scanning electron microscopy observations revealed that chitosan induced changes in surface morphology. The present study show that chitosan is capable of inhibit the growth and cause serious damage to the cell structure of the B. cinerea, as well as have the ability to form an impervious layer around the cell. Therefore, chitosan could be considered as a potential alternative for synthetic fungicides. Industrial relevance. Ultrastructural analysis showed that chitosan is capable of causing serious damage to the cell structure of the B. cinerea, as well as have the ability to form an impervious layer around the cell. Chitosan could inhibit the growth of B. cinerea in vitro and consequently may be considered as a potential alternative in replacement of synthetic fungicides.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)31-38
Number of pages8
JournalInternational Journal of Applied Research in Natural Products
Volume7
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - 2014

Keywords

  • Antifungal activity
  • Biopolymer
  • Chitosan
  • Electron microscopy
  • Fungal morphology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Characterization and inhibitory activity of chitosan on hyphae growth and morphology of Botrytis cinerea plant pathogen'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this