Effect of phenolic compounds present in argentinian plant extracts on mycelial growth of the plant pathogen Botrytis cinerea pers.

Abstract

The polyphagous plant pathogen Botrytis cinerea has the ability of growing fast under several conditions, and producing grey moulds in different plant tissues. Because of its adaptive plasticity, resistant strains have made difficult their chemical control. Therefore, new strategies of management and the use of natural compounds could be important control alternatives. The aim of this work was to study the potential value of four Argentine native plant extracts and some of its phenolic compounds as biodrugs on B. cinerea. Aqueous plant extracts of Larrea divaricata, Prosopis strombulifera, Tessaria absinthioides and Schinus molle var. areira, were used. The capability to inhibit the mycelial growth was studied using either the crude plant extract or same its most important, detected phenolic compounds. Phenolic compounds were analyzed by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis (CZE) with UV detection, and then statistically analyzed by Principal Component Analysis to correlate them and their biological activity against the fungus. Prosopis strombulifera and T. absinthioides extracts did not inhibit mycelial growth while S. molle stimulated it. Larrea divaricata demonstrated inhibition above 50% at plant extracts concentrations of 100 mg/mL.