Pantnagar Journal of Research

Abstract

Biomass feedstocks including corn cob, pine needles, rice straw, and bamboo leaves were pyrolyzed to obtain bio-oils. Among these, corn cob yielded the highest bio-oil output (19.6% w/w), followed by pine needles (18.9%w/ w), rice straw (13.8% w/w), and bamboo leaves (13.5% w/w). Bio-oil based formulations (BOBFs) were prepared from each bio-oil by mixing 40 mL of bio-oil, 30 mL of ethanol, 2 g of saponin, and 30 mL of the aqueous phase of bio-oil. These BOBF were evaluated for antifungal activity under in vitro conditions and showed complete inhibition of Alternaria brassicae and Botrytis cinerea at higher concentrations of 600 ppm and 400 ppm, respectively. Among the formulations, corn cob BOBF exhibited the highest percent inhibition at 1500 ppm, outperforming those derived from other biomass sources. The remaining formulations also demonstrated strong dose-dependent antifungal activity, with inhibition increasing by more than 1.2-fold as concentrations rose. Overall, corn cob residue proved to be the most efficient feedstock for producing pyrolysis bio-oil and holds strong potential as a sustainable agent for crop protection against fungal pathogens.