Antifungal activity of zedoary turmeric oil against Phytophthora capsici through damaging cell membrane

• Published in: Pesticide biochemistry and physiology 2019-09, Vol.159, p.59-67
• Main Authors: Wang, Bi, Liu, Fei, Li, Qi, Xu, Shu, Zhao, Xingzeng, Xue, Peilin, Feng, Xu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antifungal activity; Antifungal Agents - pharmacology; Cell Membrane - drug effects; Cell membrane injury; Curcuma; Essential oil; Oils, Volatile - pharmacology; Phytophthora - drug effects; Phytophthora - metabolism; Phytophthora capsici; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Oils - pharmacology; Sesquiterpenes - pharmacology; Sesquiterpenes, Germacrane - pharmacology; Zedoary turmeric oil
• ISSN: 0048-3575; 1095-9939
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2019.05.014

Phytophthora capsici is a plant oomycete pathogen, which causes many devastating diseases on a broad range of hosts. Zedoary turmeric oil (ZTO) is a kind of natural plant essential oil that has been widely used in pharmaceutical applications. However, the antifungal activity of ZTO against phytopathogens remains unknown. In this study, we found ZTO could inhibit P. capsici growth and development in vitro and in detached cucumber and Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Besides, ZTO treatment resulted in severe damage to the cell membrane of P. capsici, leading to the leakage of intracellular contents. ZTO also induced a significant increase in relative conductivity, malondialdehyde concentration and glycerol content. Furthermore, we identified 50 volatile organic compounds from ZTO, and uncovered Curcumol, β-elemene, curdione and curcumenol with strong inhibitory activities against mycelial growth of P. capsici. Overall, our results not only shed new light on the antifungal mechanism of ZTO, but also imply a promising alternative for the control of phytophthora blight caused by P. capsici. [Display omitted] •ZTO inhibits growth of P. capsici in vitro as well as infection in planta.•The inhibitory effect of ZTO against P. capsici is dependent on damaging cell membrane.•Curcumol, β-elemene, curdione and curcumenol of ZTO were identified with antifungal activities.