Abstract
The aim of this study was to find an alternative to synthetic fungicides currently used in the control of devastating oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans, causal agent of late blight disease of tomato. Antifungal activities of essential oils obtained from aerial parts of aromatic plants such as oregano (Origanum syriacum var. bevanii), thyme (Thymbra spicata subsp. spicata), lavender (Lavandula stoechas subsp. stoechas), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), and laurel (Laurus nobilis), were investigated against P. infestans. Both contact and volatile phase effects of different concentrations of the essential oils used were determined by using two in vitro methods. Chemical compositions of the essential oils were also determined by GC-MS analysis. Major compounds found in essential oils of thyme, oregano, rosemary, lavender, fennel and laurel were carvacrol (37.9%), carvacrol (79.8), borneol (20.4%), camphor (20.2%), anethole (82.8%) and 1,8-cineole (35.5%), respectively. All essential oils were found to inhibit the growth of P. infestans in a dose-dependent manner. Volatile phase effect of oregano and thyme oils at 0.3 μg/ml air was found to completely inhibit the growth of P. infestans. Complete growth inhibition of pathogen by essential oil of fennel, rosemary, lavender and laurel was, however, observed at 0.4–2.0 μg/ml air concentrations. For the determination of the contact phase effects of the tested essential oils, oregano, thyme and fennel oils at 6.4 μg/ml were found to inhibit the growth of P. infestans completely. Essential oils of rosemary, lavender and laurel were inhibitory at relatively higher concentrations (12.8, 25.6, 51.2 μg/ml respectively). Volatile phase effects of essential oils were consistently found to be more effective on fungal growth than contact phase effect. Sporangial production was also inhibited by the essential oil tested. Light and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observation on pathogen hyphae, exposed to both volatile and contact phase of oil, revealed considerable morphological alterations in hyphae such as cytoplasmic coagulation, vacuolations, hyphal shrivelling and protoplast leakage.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
R Shattock (2002) ArticleTitlePhytophthora infestans: populations, pathogenicity and phenylamides Pest Manag Sci 58 944–950 Occurrence Handle10.1002/ps.527 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XmvFGjs7c%3D Occurrence Handle12233186
U Gisi Y Cohen (1996) ArticleTitleResistance to phenylamide fungicides: a case study with Phytophthora infestans involving mating type and race structure Annu Rev Phytopathol 34 549–572 Occurrence Handle10.1146/annurev.phyto.34.1.549 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK28XlsFOhsbo%3D Occurrence Handle15012556
BM Isman (2000) ArticleTitlePlant essential oils for pest and disease management Crop Prot 19 603–608 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXovFGmu7g%3D
S Burt (2004) ArticleTitleEssential oils: their antibacterial properties and potential applications in foods – a review Int J Food Microbiol 94 223–253 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2004.03.022 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXlsFOrsrk%3D Occurrence Handle15246235
H Shmutterer (1990) ArticleTitleProperties and potential of natural pesticides from the neem tree Azadirachta indica Annu Rev Entomol 35 271–297
Council of Europe. European Pharmacopoeia, 3rd edn. Strausbourg, 1997: 121–122.
FW McLafferty (1994) Wiley Registry of Mass Spectral Data Wiley New York
RP Adams (1995) Identification of Essential Oil Components by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy Allured Publishing Carol stream, IL
S Simpfendorfer TJ Harden GM Murray (2001) ArticleTitleEffect of temperature and pH on the growth and sporulation of Phytophthora clandestine Australas Plant Pathol 30 1–5
AM Janssen JJC Scheffer A Svendsen (1987) ArticleTitleAntimicrobial activity of essential oils: a 1976–1986 literature review. Aspects of the test Methods Planta Med 5 395–397
RK Daouk SM Dagher EJ Sattout (1995) ArticleTitleAntifungal activity of the essential oil of Origanum syriacum L J Food Prot 58 1147–1149 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXpvFyntL8%3D
F Muller-Riebau B Berger O Yegen (1995) ArticleTitleChemical composition and fungitoxic properties to phytopathogenic fungi of essential oils of selected aromatic plants growing wild in Turkey J Agric Food Chem 43 2262–2266
MT Baratta HJD Dorman SG Deans DM Biondi G Ruberto (1998) ArticleTitleChemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidative activity of laurel, sage, rosemary, oregano and coriander essential oils J Essent Oil Res 10 618–627 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXmt1el
G Ruberto MT Baratta SG Deans HJD Dorman (2000) ArticleTitleAntioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Foeniculum vulgare and Crithmum maritimum essential oils Planta Med 66 687–693 Occurrence Handle10.1055/s-2000-9773 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3MXis12gsQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle11199122
C Bouchra M Achouri LM Idrissi-Hassani M Hmamouchi (2003) ArticleTitleChemical composition and antifungal activity of essential oils of seven Moroccan Labiatae against Botrytis cinerea Pers: Fr J Ethnopharmacol 89 165–169 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0378-8741(03)00275-7 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXns12lsLY%3D Occurrence Handle14522450
DJ Daferera N Basil N Ziogas MG Polissiou (2003) ArticleTitleThe effectiveness of plant essential oils on Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium sp and Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis Crop Prot 22 39–44 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XptFGrsb0%3D
A Angioni A Barra E Cereti D Barile JD Coisson M Arlorio S Dessi V Coroneo P Cabras (2004) ArticleTitleChemical composition, plant genetic differences, antimicrobial and antifungal activity investigation of the essential oil of Rosmarinus officinalis L J Agric Food Chem 52 3530–3535 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXjs1Kgt7Y%3D Occurrence Handle15161226
EM Soylu FM Tok S Soylu AD Kaya GA Evrendilek (2005) ArticleTitleAntifungal activities of the essential oils on post-harvest disease agent Penicillium digitatum Pakistan J Biol Sci 8 25–29
AE Edris ES Farrag (2003) ArticleTitleAntifungal activity of peppermint and sweet basil essential oils and their major aroma constituents on some plant pathogenic fungi from the vapour phase Nahrung/Food 47 117–121 Occurrence Handle10.1002/food.200390021 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXjslynt74%3D
EM Soylu H Yiğitbaş FM Tok S Soylu S Kurt Ö Baysal AD Kaya (2005) ArticleTitleChemical composition and antifungal activity of the essential oil of Artemisia annua L. against foliar and soil-borne fungal pathogens Z Pflanzenk Pflanzen 112 229–239
S Inouye T Tsuruoka M Watanabe K Takeo M Akao Y Nishiyama H Yamaguchi (2000) ArticleTitleInhibitory effect of essential oils on apical growth of Aspergillus fumigatus by vapour contact Mycoses 43 17–23 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1439-0507.2000.00538.x Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXjvFGktrk%3D Occurrence Handle10838841
I Rasooli MB Rezaei A. Allameh (2006) ArticleTitleGrowth inhibition and morphological alterations of Aspergillus niger by essential oils from Thymus eriocalyx and Thymus x-porlock Food Control 17 359–364 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.foodcont.2004.12.002 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXhtFyksLzF
K Knobloch P Pauli B Iberl H Weigand N Weiss (1989) ArticleTitleAntibacterial and antifungal properties of essential oil components J Essent Oil Res 1 119–128 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3cXltFagsLk%3D
A Bianchi A Zambonelli AZ D’Aulerio F Bellesia (1997) ArticleTitleUltrastructural studies of the effects of Allium sativum on phytopathogenic fungi in vitro Plant Dis 81 1241–1246 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXntlygtL0%3D
ACG Fiori KRF Schwan-Estrada JR Stangarlin JB Vida CA Scapim MES Cruz SF Pascholati (2000) ArticleTitleAntifungal activity of leaf extracts and essential oils of some medicinal plants against Didymella bryoniae J Phytopathol 148 483–487 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1439-0434.2000.00524.x Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXmvFWqs78%3D
VG Billerbeck Particlede CG Roques J-M Bessiére J-L Fonvieille R Dargent (2001) ArticleTitleEffects of Cymbopogon nardus (L.) W. Watson essential oil on the growth and morphogenesis of Aspergillus niger Can J Microbiol 47 9–17 Occurrence Handle15049444
CV Nakamura K Ishida LC Faccin BPD Filho DAG Cortez S Rozental W Souza Particlede T Ueda-Nakamura (2004) ArticleTitleIn vitro activity of essential oil from Ocimum gratissimum L. against four Candida species Res Microbiol 155 579–586 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.resmic.2004.04.004 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXmslektLs%3D Occurrence Handle15313260
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Soylu, E.M., Soylu, S. & Kurt, S. Antimicrobial Activities of the Essential Oils of Various Plants against Tomato Late Blight Disease Agent Phytophthora infestans. Mycopathologia 161, 119–128 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-005-0206-z
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-005-0206-z