Published in Scientific Bulletin. Series F. Biotechnologies, Vol. XX
Written by Mariana POPESCU, Florin OANCEA, Mălina DEȘLIU-AVRAM
The paper presented a possibility for the eco-efficient valorisation of vegetable oils, a precious renewable natural resource from Romanian wild and cultivated flora, cheap and abundant raw materials for conversion into value added bioproducts for plant protection in organic agriculture systems and great importance for bioeconomy. An original technical solution was proposed for the stored grains protection against pests and diseases transferred from agricultural field to warehouses after the harvest time. Based on the validated properties of insecticidal diatomaceous earth and antimicrobial essential oils extracted from aromatic plants, an eco-friendly bioproduct was conceived and produced using a clean technology of green chemistry inspired by cold saponification process of natural fats followed by the microencapsulation of the essential oil in the soft potassium soap. One variant of the plant protection bioproduct was obtained by conversion of cold pressed rapeseed oil and essential thyme oil into a core-shell formulation obtained by granulation of the concentrated oil emulsion with fine powdered diatomaceous earth thus improving the controlled release of bioactive principles from the organomineral structure. The significant repellence potential against Sitophilus granaries insect adults and strong fungicidal action of thyme essential oil coupled with insecticidal effects and mycotoxin absorbent capacity of diatomite recommended the new product with a wide spectrum of action for a long preventive protection against biological contamination of warehouses.
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