Impact of Various Essential Oils on the Development of Pathogens of the Fusarium Genus and on Health and Germination Parameters of Winter Wheat and Maize

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2024-05, Vol.29 (10), p.2376
• Main Authors: Danielewicz, Jakub, Grzanka, Monika, Sobiech, Łukasz, Jajor, Ewa, Horoszkiewicz, Joanna, Korbas, Marek, Blecharczyk, Andrzej, Stuper-Szablewska, Kinga, Matysiak, Kinga
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: biofungicides; Corn; Crop diseases; Crops; Experiments; Fungi; Fungicides; Fusarium - drug effects; Fusarium - growth & development; Germination - drug effects; Grain; Infections; Oils & fats; Oils, Volatile - chemistry; Oils, Volatile - pharmacology; Pathogens; Pesticides; Plant diseases; Plant Diseases - microbiology; Plant Diseases - prevention & control; Plant Oils - chemistry; Plant Oils - pharmacology; plant protection; seedling blight; Seedlings - drug effects; Seedlings - growth & development; Seedlings - microbiology; Seeds; Thymus Plant - chemistry; Triticum - drug effects; Triticum - growth & development; Triticum - microbiology; Wheat; Zea mays - drug effects; Zea mays - growth & development; Zea mays - microbiology
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules29102376

Currently, researchers are looking for ways to replace synthetic pesticides with substances of natural origin. Essential oils are produced by plants, among other things, to protect against pathogens, which is why there is interest in their use as fungicides. This experiment assessed the composition of essential oils from a commercial source, their impact on the development of mycelium of pathogens of the genus, and the possibility of using them as a pre-sowing treatment. Grains of winter wheat ( L.) and corn ( L.) were inoculated with a suspension of mycelium and spores of fungi of the genus and then soaked in solutions containing oils of sage ( L.), cypress ( L.), cumin ( L.), and thyme ( L.). The obtained results indicate that thyme essential oil had the strongest effect on limiting the development of pathogens and seedling infection, but at the same time it had an adverse effect on the level of germination and seedling development of the tested plants. The remaining essential oils influenced the mentioned parameters to varying degrees. Selected essential oils can be an alternative to synthetic fungicides, but they must be selected appropriately.