A Rice Bran Wax–Chitosan–Deep Eutectic Solvent Emulsion Coating: Physicochemical Characterization and Antifungal Mechanisms against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in Fig (Ficus carica L.)

A Rice Bran Wax–Chitosan–Deep Eutectic Solvent Emulsion Coating: Physicochemical Characterization and Antifungal Mechanisms against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in Fig (Ficus carica L.) | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article A Rice Bran Wax–Chitosan–Deep Eutectic Solvent Emulsion Coating: Physicochemical Characterization and Antifungal Mechanisms against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in Fig (Ficus carica L.) Raja Hasnida Raja Hashim, Ahmad Anas Nagoor Gunny, M. J Gidado, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9275355/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted 11 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Edible biopolymer-based coatings are gaining attention as sustainable alternatives to synthetic fungicides for postharvest preservation, yet their practical application is often constrained by formulation instability and limited antifungal efficacy. This study developed a novel rice bran wax–chitosan–deep eutectic solvent (ChiBran-DES) emulsion coating for controlling postharvest disease in fig ( Ficus carica L.) fruit. The formulation combines the hydrophobic barrier properties of rice bran wax, the antimicrobial and film-forming capabilities of chitosan, and the multifunctional plasticizing and bioactive roles of deep eutectic solvent. Emulsion stability was evaluated over four weeks through visual phase separation, creaming index, sedimentation behavior, and refractive index analysis. The optimized formulation (ChiBran-DES1.5%) exhibited superior physicochemical stability, with improved zeta potential, reduced droplet size distribution, and enhanced structural uniformity, indicating strong interfacial interactions. The antifungal performance of ChiBran-DES1.5% was assessed against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and compared with ChiBran and a commercial fungicide (anthracole). The coating demonstrated significantly enhanced antifungal activity, attributed to synergistic interactions between chitosan’s polycationic mechanism, the moisture barrier effect of rice bran wax, and the bioactivity of menthol–thymol DES. In vivo application on inoculated fig fruits further confirmed a substantial reduction in anthracnose incidence and disease progression during storage. Overall, the ChiBran-DES system presents a stable, biodegradable, and high-performance coating with strong potential to reduce reliance on synthetic fungicides in postharvest management. Edible coating Rice bran wax Chitosan Anthracnose Deep eutectic solvent Fig fruit Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 04 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 04 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 29 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 25 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 14 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 14 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 13 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 07 Apr, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 07 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 31 Mar, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9275355","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":623348905,"identity":"db2f8007-b6e6-4b7f-8cdb-3ee8cf55d46f","order_by":0,"name":"Raja Hasnida Raja Hashim","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Faculty of Chemical Engineering \u0026 Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Kompleks Pusat Pengajian Jejawi 3, Kawasan Perindustrian Jejawi, 02600 Arau, Perlis, Malaysia","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Raja","middleName":"Hasnida Raja","lastName":"Hashim","suffix":""},{"id":623348906,"identity":"2dcc8e48-40b1-46ba-aaf7-a36b786290d4","order_by":1,"name":"Ahmad Anas Nagoor Gunny","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA9klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCSDmATHYGxgYEiBiBkRq4TlAshaJBLgYfi38s7sTP7ypuSMvP/ON2YOHOXZ5DOzN2yQYcw7jtuTO2c2Sc449M9xwO8fcIHFbcjEDz7EyCcZtuLUw3MjdIM3Ddphxg3SOmUTiNubEBgkgA58W+Ru5m3/z/DtsP3/mGZCW+sQG+Tf4tRjcyN0mzdt2OLHhBg9IC5AhwYNfiyFQi+XcvsPJG86klQG1HC9m40krtkjclo5TixzQYTfefDtsO7/98DbJn9uq8/jZD2+88XGbNW7vo4MENjDJ0EyCFihdR7yWUTAKRsEoGO4AAM4CWTzlrkZEAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Faculty of Chemical Engineering \u0026 Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Kompleks Pusat Pengajian Jejawi 3, Kawasan Perindustrian Jejawi, 02600 Arau, Perlis, Malaysia","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ahmad","middleName":"Anas Nagoor","lastName":"Gunny","suffix":""},{"id":623348907,"identity":"577c17e2-dce9-4c56-9d85-948db580df38","order_by":2,"name":"M. 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This study developed a novel rice bran wax\u0026ndash;chitosan\u0026ndash;deep eutectic solvent (ChiBran-DES) emulsion coating for controlling postharvest disease in fig (\u003cem\u003eFicus carica\u003c/em\u003e L.) fruit. The formulation combines the hydrophobic barrier properties of rice bran wax, the antimicrobial and film-forming capabilities of chitosan, and the multifunctional plasticizing and bioactive roles of deep eutectic solvent. Emulsion stability was evaluated over four weeks through visual phase separation, creaming index, sedimentation behavior, and refractive index analysis. The optimized formulation (ChiBran-DES1.5%) exhibited superior physicochemical stability, with improved zeta potential, reduced droplet size distribution, and enhanced structural uniformity, indicating strong interfacial interactions. 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