Abstract
Although utilization of synthetic chemicals is inevitable for management of economically detrimental agents, numerous side-effects such as environmental contaminations and effects of non-target organisms associated with them. Plant essential oils with low/without toxicity on mammals and as bio-degradable natural materials have been considered for different pests and fungi management in the recent years. In the present study, the essential oil of Thymus kotschyanus isolated by a Clevenger apparatus and its mycelial growth inhibition was measured against two phytopathogenic fungi Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium graminearum . The best models for predicting of antifungal effects were quadratic models. The essential oil showed a prospective mycelial growth inhibition against both phytopathogenic fungi. Optimization of the antifungal effects indicated that 206.207 ppm of the essential oil caused 50% mycelial growth inhibition of B. cinerea after 89.651 h. This value was 85.600 ppm for F. graminearum within 117.194 h. Results of the present study designated a great potential of T. kotschyanus essential oil for management of pathogenic fungi B. cinerea and F. graminearum . Keywords: Essential oil, mycelial growth inhibition, response surface, Thymus kotschyanus
Highlights
Fusarium graminearum is a cause of Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat and other cereals throughout the world (Suga et al, 2008)
The main goals of the present study were the evaluation of the antifungal effect of T. kotschyanus essential oil against two phytopathogenic fungi Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium graminearum
The results showed that the studied concentrations of T. kotschyanus essential oil had pleasing antifungal activity on F. graminearum and B. cinerea fungi and the mycelial growth of pathogenic fungi has decreased with increasing time (Figure 1)
Summary
Fusarium graminearum is a cause of Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat and other cereals throughout the world (Suga et al, 2008) Due to this fungus activity, a poor quality product with wrinkled grains is produced and the weight of the seeds is reduced. Plant essential oils in the form of secondary metabolites play an important role in plant protection against fungi and phytophagous insects. These bioagents act as signaling molecules and show an evolutionary relationship with their functional role in the plants (Tholl, 2006). The main goals of the present study were the evaluation of the antifungal effect of T. kotschyanus essential oil against two phytopathogenic fungi Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium graminearum. Development of mathematical models to find the optimized conditions for these bio-effects was the other objective
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