EVALUATION OF KAMIAS (Averrhoa bilimbi) FRUIT AND LEAF EXTRACTS AGAINST POST-HARVEST ROTTING FUNGI ON TOMATO (Solanum lycopersicum L.) FRUITS

Fungal rot poses a significant challenge to the post-harvest preservation of tomatoes, leading to substantial losses and reduced shelf life. This study aimed to determine the anti-rot effects of kamias (Averrhoa bilimbi) leaf and fruit extracts on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruits in terms of the diameter of the fungal colony and percentage of mycelial growth inhibition. Kamias fruits and leaves were collected, cleaned, dried, and processed into extracts. Tomato fruits were individually dipped in their respective treatment solutions for 20 minutes. The treatments prepared were as follows: T0 - distilled water, T1 - commercial fungicide, T2 - 25% fruit extract concentration, T3 - 50% fruit extract concentration, T4 - 75% fruit extract concentration, T5 - pure fruit extract, T6 - 25% leaf extract concentration, T7 - 50% leaf extract concentration, T8 - 75% leaf extract concentration, and T9 - 100% pure leaf extract.

The researchers used mean and Analysis of Variance and Post Hoc Tukey's HSD to analyze the data. The results showed that kamias fruit and leaf extracts significantly inhibited fungal growth and effectively combated tomato rot. Increasing the concentration of the extracts led to smaller fungal colony diameters, indicating more potent antifungal activity. Interestingly, higher extract concentrations also promoted mycelial growth, suggesting potential protective effects on tomatoes against fungus.

Furthermore, significant differences were observed among the various treatments of kamias leaf and fruit extracts in terms of the tomato fruits' shelf-life duration. Therefore, this study reveals that applying kamias fruit and leaf extracts could serve as a natural and effective method to enhance post-harvest storage and reduce spoilage of tomato fruits.