Khalimatus Sa’diyah, Sri Rulianah, Mochammad Agung Indra Iswara, Shabrina Adani Putri
Synthetic fungicides are generally used to fight Colletotrichum spp., the pathogen that causes anthracnose in chili plants. This research explores the potential of bio-oil derived from agricultural waste as a natural fungicide to reduce the negative effects of this disease. The goal of this study is to investigate the impact of various types of agricultural waste on the quality of bio-oil produced through pyrolysis, as well as its effectiveness in inhibiting Colletotrichum spp. The pyrolysis process was carried out for two hours at a temperature of 350 °C using a semi-batch stainless steel reactor without stirring. Antifungal activity was assessed by preparing Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) media, isolating Colletotrichum spp., and evaluating the effect of bio-oil on fungal growth for twenty days. Agricultural waste like corn cobs, corn husks, and rice straw were used in this study. Bio-oil from these wastes was tested at four different concentrations (0, 1, 2, and 4%) and compared to a positive control (2% antracol fungicide). The results showed that bio-oil from corn cobs was the highest quality, with a brownish red color, pH 1.82, density 1.0092 g/mL, viscosity 1.0151 cP, total acidity 12.14%, and total phenol content 0.762%. All bio-oils tested showed significant antifungal activity, equivalent to antracol, effectively inhibiting fungal growth up to 90.94%. This research highlights the potential of bio-oil produced from agricultural waste as a viable alternative to synthetic fungicides. © 2026 American Institute of Physics Inc.. All rights reserved.
Department of Chemical Engineering, Politeknik Negeri Malang, Jalan Soekarno Hatta No. 9, East Java, Malang, 65141, Indonesia