ABSTRACT:
Apis melífera L. propolis is a resinous and balsamic material whose biological effects are related to its chemical composition. This chemical composition is greatly influenced by seasonality, so propolis from different seasons and regions has a different chemical composition. The increasing need for natural options to control fungi that cause damage to food crops makes propolis an alternative that deserves more research. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of seasonality on the antifungal potential of propolis collected in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, on the fungusLasiodiplodia theobromae . Effects of different concentrations of ethanolic extracts of green propolis on the mycelial growth of the pathogen were evaluated. Concentrations of flavonoids and phenolic compounds in the samples were also determined by spectrophotometric methods. Results showed that the propolis extracts have a different chemical composition, potential fungi static effects on the tested fungus, and that there is interference of seasonality on the mycelial growth of the fungus, pointing to the concentration of 1250µg 100mL-1of the samples collected in the summer, in a first moment, as the most efficient.
Key words: Lasiodiplodia theobromae; alternative control; time of collection; green propolis