Integrated in vitro and in vivo and molecular docking evaluation of essential oils for the management of soft rot of ginger

Abstract

Soft rot of ginger, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. zingiberi and Erwinia chrysanthemi, leads to severe yield losses and demands eco-friendly management alternatives. This study evaluated eight essential oils, seaweed extract, and nano-silver through in vitro screening, mode-of-action studies, molecular docking, and pot culture experiments. Ajwain and cinnamon leaf oils showed the strongest antifungal and antibacterial activity, recording up to 81.57% mycelial inhibition and 74.89% bacterial inhibition at 5000 ppm. Resazurin assays confirmed loss of cell viability, while membrane leakage studies indicated significant disruption of cytoplasmic integrity. Molecular docking revealed strong binding of key oil constituents to fungal xylanase, suggesting interference with pathogen cell wall degradation. Pot culture trials further demonstrated reduced disease incidence, with up to 78.88% reduction over control. The findings highlight ajwain and cinnamon leaf essential oils as promising natural bio-control agents for managing ginger soft rot and reducing reliance on chemical pesticides.