Antifungal Mechanism of Ruta graveolens Essential Oil: A Colombian Traditional Alternative against Anthracnose Caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides .

Here, we report for the first time on the mechanisms of action of the essential oil of Ruta graveolens (REO) against the plant pathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides . In particular, the presence of REO drastically affected the morphology of hyphae by inducing changes in the cytoplasmic membrane, such as depolarization and changes in the fatty acid profile where straight-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) increased by up to 92.1%. In addition, REO induced changes in fungal metabolism and triggered apoptosis-like responses to cell death, such as DNA fragmentation and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The production of essential enzymes involved in fungal metabolism, such as acid phosphatase, β-galactosidase, β-glucosidase, and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase, was significantly reduced in the presence of REO. In addition, C. gloeosporioides activated naphthol-As-BI phosphohydrolase as a mechanism of response to REO stress. The data obtained here have shown that the essential oil of Ruta graveolens has a strong antifungal effect on C. gloeosporioides . Therefore, it has the potential to be used as a surface disinfectant and as a viable replacement for fungicides commonly used to treat anthracnose in the postharvest testing phase.