Considerable losses of fruits during handling, packaging, transportation, and storage. Five infected fruits were collected [apple, grapes, mandarin, peach, and plums] from the local market of Damietta Governorate, Egypt for surveying the fungal pathogens on these fruits. Ten fungal species were isolated and identified, among them, Alternaria alternata and Fusarium oxysporum exhibited the most dominant fungal species were isolated from apples and peaches, respectively. Results indicated that the aqueous extracts of three medicinal plants [Eucalyptus citriodora ĽHér, Inula crithmoides L., Launaea nudicaulis [L.] collected from the area around were tested against the two dominant fungi at four concentrations [0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 1%; w/v]. The greater relative inhibition of fungal growth was recorded at the concentration of 1% of both plants, but the extract of Eucalyptus citriodora was more effective against tested fungi than that of other plants. So, the use of Eucalyptus citriodora extracts as potential antifungal preservatives for fruits against fungal spoilage instead of synthetic fungicides because they are available, safe, inexpensive, and ecofriendly.
Key words: Biocontrol, fruits, medicinal plants, plant extracts, spoilage of fruits