Encapsulation of garlic oil and diallyl disulfide with -cyclodextrin for white rot control in Allium crops

White rot, caused by Sclerotium cepivorum, is a devastating disease of onion, garlic, and other Allium crops. The pathogen reproduces and survives by forming sclerotia, which can survive in field soils for decades. The pathogen is host-specific to Allium spp., and sclerotia germinate in response to sulfur compounds produced by Allium roots. Sulfur-containing compounds such as diallyl disulfide (DADS) and garlic oil can stimulate sclerotia germination and effectively reduce pathogen populations before planting an Allium crop; however, these compounds are often highly volatile and difficult to handle and apply. Therefore, a study was conducted to encapsulate DADS and garlic oil with beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) to protect sulfur volatiles from interactions with soil and against oxidation, degradation, and evaporation. Microcapsule extract analysis showed that garlic oil and DADS were successfully encapsulated with greater than 90% recovery of the starting product. In addition, the microencapsulation process did not change the chemical compounds, but their proportions were altered. Furthermore, lab and growth chamber incubation experiments revealed that DADS and DAS could be slowly released into the soil from microcapsules and worked effectively for white rot sclerotia germination. Compared to the nontreated control, liquid DADS, microcapsules of DADS, and microcapsules of garlic oil reduced sclerotia populations by between 73.7 and 82.3%, depending on the treatment. When compared to liquid DADS and garlic oil, the encapsulated formulations DADS and garlic oil are equally effective but easier to handle, which can provide more flexibility in terms of timing, placement, and method of sclerotia germination stimulant applications.