Carvacrol and eugenol inhibit postharvest soft rot disease by enhancing defense response in peaches during storage

Peaches are in high demands because of their nutritional value and delicious flavor, but often become unmarketable due to the fungus infection. In this study, carvacrol and eugenol were used to preserve peaches. Rhizopus stolonifer growth was completely inhibited by carvacrol at 32 µl/Lair and eugenol at 64 µl/Lair. Carvacrol at 0.5 µl/Lair and eugenol at 1 µl/Lair significantly reduced the incidence and severity of soft rot decay in artificially inoculated peaches. Also, carvacrol and eugenol significantly reduced the natural incidence of soft rot disease and maintained high sensory acceptance and quality of peaches during storage. The activities of defense‐related enzymes were enhanced by carvacrol and eugenol fumigation, and the contents of phenolics, flavonoids, lignin, and hydroxyproline‐rich glycoprotein in these two oils treated fruit, were much higher than untreated control during storage. These observations indicted that carvacrol and eugenol could preserve peach fruit during postharvest storage. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Carvacrol and eugenol showed great potential application in the preservation of peach fruit during postharvest storage, exhibiting high antifungal activity against Rhizopus stolonifer and enhancing defense response to soft rot disease.