Alternatives products to conventional pesticides in the control of anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum musae after harvest of 'Prata' banana [Musa spp. (AAB)] were evaluated. Fruits with an average diameter of 32-36 mm were selected at the pre-climacteric stage, with a peel color index of 1 (totally green peel). Hands were subdivided into clusters of three fruits. The fruits were sprayed with a conidial suspension of C. musae at a concentration of 2.5 x 10(5) conidia/mL and were kept in a moist chamber at 25°C for 24 hours. After this period, fruits were sprayed with the alternative products 'Biogermex' citric extract, 'Organic Neem' oil and 'Probinatu' garlic oil at a concentration of 10.0 mL/L, long pepper oil and clove oil, both at a concentration of 5.0 mL/L, chitosan at a concentration of 10.0 mg/mL, and Tecto® SC fungicide (thiabendazole) at a concentration of 0.65 mL/L. Distilled water was used as a control treatment. The fruits treated with chitosan, neem oil and garlic oil had their disease severity reduced. The garlic oil was the most efficient, and had also its disease incidence reduced. The fruit quality was not depreciated by any of the alternative treatments at the concentrations used.
Postharvest quality; Colletotrichum musae; pathogenic fungi; plant oil and extract
