Combination of chitosan with different polysaccharides for the production of a biogel carrier of eugenol with bactericidal, fungicidal, and repellent action.

• Grant number: 24/23713-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Michel Brienzo
• Grantee: Melissa Machado Martins
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesquisa em Bioenergia (IPBEN). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/10839-4 - Sustainable citriculture through controlled release of antibacterial compounds from microgel-based formulations, AP.TEM

Abstract

Chitosan, a promising polysaccharide for agriculture, especially in citrus farming, stands out for its potential in combating citrus canker, a disease caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas citri. While Brazil leads global sweet orange production, it faces challenges in controlling this disease, traditionally managed with copper-based compounds that are harmful to the environment. Sustainable alternatives, such as essential oils, offer promising antimicrobial properties. In this context, chitosan can serve as a base for compounds carrying eugenol, but its high cost requires evaluating combinations with other polysaccharides. This research project aims to evaluate the use of chitosan in combination with alginate, carrageenan, xanthan gum, and pregelatinized starch to produce a biogel and film for the controlled release of essential oil, with the additional goal of assessing the film as a repellent. Beyond Xanthomonas citri, the fungicidal action of the film against Rhizopus stolonifer will also be evaluated. The technical and economic feasibility of the processes will be assessed, with the primary parameter being the maximization of biogel yields. This project is part of a broader FAPESP Thematic Project (2021/10839-4), which aims to use a biogel as a carrier for eugenol against Xanthomonas citri. The present study will contribute to the biogel formulation phase, playing a key role in evaluating the compound as a bactericide while also adding the study of its repellent properties.