Study on Antifungal Effects of Several Essential Oils Against Botrytis Cinerea and Rhizopus Stolonifer

Abstract

Essential oils of oregano, thyme, rosemary and sage were chemically analysed and evaluated for antifungal activity on Botrytis cinerea and Rhizopus stolonifer by contact (125-1000 μl/l) and volatile (5-40 μl) methods. Different essential oils inhibited fungal growth in a dose dependent manner. The growth of B. cinerea was completely inhibited by rosemary essential oil (≥ 500 μl/l) and at ≥ 750 μl/l for sage and thyme oils. Also, the growth of R. stolonifer was completely inhibited by sage and thyme oils (≥ 500 μl/l) and at ≥ 750 μl/l for oregano and rosemary oils. Rosemary and thyme essential oils had the most antifungal effects on B. cinerea and R. stolonifer at all concentrations, respectively. Volatile phase effects were found to be more effective than contact phase effect. The growth of fungi was completely suppressed at concentrations ≥ 10 μl for oregano and rosemary oils and at ≥ 5 μl for sage and thyme oils. Thymol and carvacrol are the two main constituents of thyme and rosemary which showed the highest antifungal activities. The results showed that the essential oils are promising antifungal agents which could be used as bio-fungicide in the protection of fruits and vegetables against postharvest infections.