N-vanillyl-octanamide represses growth of fungal phytopathogens in vitro and confers postharvest protection in tomato and avocado fruits against fungal-induced decay.

Plant diseases caused by pathogenic fungi result in considerable losses in agriculture. The use of fungicides is an important alternative to combat these pathogens, but may affect both the environment and human health. Plants produce many bioactive compounds to defend themselves from biotic challenges and an increasing number of secondary metabolites have been identified, which may be used to control fungal infections.

Thermodynamical methods for the optimization of lipase-catalyzed reactions.

A basic insight on different thermodynamical strategies reported for the optimization of lipase-catalyzed reactions is presented. The significance of selecting the appropriate reaction media in order to enhance selectivity and operational stability of enzymes is discussed. From this analysis, the importance of developing thermodynamic strategies for controlling both the reaction kinetics and equilibrium is emphasized.