Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of essential oil (EO) of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. against five Fusarium spp. commonly associated with maize. The essential oil had been extracted by steam distillation in a modified Clevenger-type apparatus from leaves of E. camaldulensis and their chemical composition characterized by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Poisoned food technique was used to determine the percentage inhibition of mycelial growth, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum fungicidal concentration of the EO on the test pathogens. Antifungal activity of different concentrations of the EO was evaluated using disc diffusion method. The most abundant compounds identified in the EO were 1,8-cineole (16.2%), α-pinene (15.6%), α-phellandrene (10.0%), and p-cymene (8.1%). The EO produced complete mycelial growth inhibition in all the test pathogens at a concentration of 7-8 μL/mL after five days of incubation. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of the EO on the test fungi were in the range of 7-8 μL/mL and 8–10 μL/mL, respectively. These findings confirm the fungicidal properties of E. camaldulensis essential oils and their potential use in the management of economically important Fusarium spp. and as possible alternatives to synthetic fungicides.
Highlights
Fusarium spp. are phytopathogenic fungi of great economic importance whose effects on agricultural production are well documented [1]
Maize ear and kernel rot caused by Fusarium spp. is one of the most important diseases that affect maize production resulting in decrease in grain yield and quality due to contamination with various mycotoxins such as fumonisins, deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, and zearalenone [6, 7]
Fusarium spp. produce an array of mycotoxins such as fumonisins, trichothecenes, zearalenone T-2 toxin, and HT-2 toxin that contaminate agricultural products resulting in huge economic losses [7, 8]
Summary
Fusarium spp. are phytopathogenic fungi of great economic importance whose effects on agricultural production are well documented [1]. These fungi are ubiquitous in soils [2] and colonize crops in temperate and semitropical regions [3] as well as the tropics [4]. Maize ear and kernel rot caused by Fusarium spp. is one of the most important diseases that affect maize production resulting in decrease in grain yield and quality due to contamination with various mycotoxins such as fumonisins, deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, and zearalenone [6, 7]. Fusarium spp. produce an array of mycotoxins such as fumonisins, trichothecenes, zearalenone T-2 toxin, and HT-2 toxin that contaminate agricultural products resulting in huge economic losses [7, 8]. Exposure to Fusarium mycotoxins such as trichothecenes, zearalenone, and fumonisins is known to cause serious human and livestock illnesses such as anorexia, depression, gastroenteritis, immunological dysfunction, and haematoxicity while some of the toxins are potentially carcinogenic [11, 12]
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