Abstract
Colletotrichum spp. is a significant strawberry fruit pathogen, causing yield losses of up to 80% - growing resistance to pesticides demands to new, environmentally-friendly plant protection. Essential oils (EO) are one of the biological plant protection products suitable for pathogens control. The antimicrobial and antifungal activity of EO, biodegradability and low toxicity, make it potential for use in plant protection against pathogens instead of chemicals. The present study was carried out to investigate the antifungal effects of Salvia officinalis and Picea abies essential oils against strawberry Colletotrichum spp. The research carried at the LAMMC Institute of Horticulture. The bio-fungicidal effect was assessed based on radial growth inhibitions. There were evaluated several EO concentrations: 1000-1800 µl/l. Single-spore isolate fragment placed in the centre of PDA with different concentrations. Plates were incubated at oils 25 o C in darkness and evaluated after 2, 4, 7 days. S. officinalis and P. abies EO showed inhibitory effect on Colletotrichum spp. mycelial development. The S. officinalis inhibitory effect was more than 50% in all concentrations. The present study revealed that highest 1800 μl/l S. officinalis EO concentration Colletotrichum spp. colony diameter was significantly lower (1.84 cm) compared with control (5.75 cm). However, P. abies inhibition more than 50 % were only in concentrations from 1600 μl/l. According to our results, treatment with EO can reduce the growth of Colletotrichum spp. and EO could be an effective potential bio-fungicide to control strawberry anthracnose. EO as bio-fungicides characteristics is their natural origin and low risk for resistance development.
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