Fuente: ISHS (International Society for Horticultural Science) Post date: Wednesday 3 September 2025
Author:
ISHS Secretariat

Thelma Guadalupe Valdez-Reyes is a senior student of Agricultural Engineering with a specialization in Crop Science at the Universidad Autónoma Chapingo (UACh), Mexico. Her research is currently focused on evaluating the fungicidal activity of the essential oil of Mexican oregano (Lippia graveolens) against different isolates of Colletotrichum spp., a complex of fungi responsible for anthracnose, one of the main pre- and postharvest diseases affecting mango (Mangifera indica) worldwide. The study assessed several parameters of the extract’s fungicidal activity: mycelial growth inhibition (MGI), spore germination inhibition (SGI), minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) in isolates of Colletotrichum asianum, C. siamense and C. tropicale. The essential oil was obtained through hydrodistillation and emulsified with Tween 20. Results showed that C. asianum was the most susceptible isolate (EC50 for MGI: 38.89 µg mL-1; MFC: 216.67 µg mL-1), whereas C. siamense exhibited greater resistance (MFC: 500 µg mL-1). The essential oil demonstrated remarkable potential as a natural fungicide, offering promising applications for disease control in sustainable and organic agricultural systems. This research contributes to the search for effective alternatives to chemical fungicides, whose indiscriminate use has led to resistance issues and concerns about toxic residues. It also highlights the value of plant-derived bioactive compounds as viable tools in plant pathogen management and crop protection.
Thelma Guadalupe Valdez-Reyes won the ISHS Young Minds Award for the best poster presentation at the XIV International Mango Symposium in Mexico in May 2025.
Thelma Guadalupe Valdez-Reyes, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Carr. Federal México-Texcoco Km 38.5, 56230 El Cooperativo, Mexico, e-mail: valdezreyesthelma@gmail.com
The article is available in Chronica HorticulturaeTags: mangoCategories: Young Minds Award Winners