Evaluation of fungicidal and fungistatic activity of plant essential oils towards plant pathogenic and saprophytic fungi

Abstract

The contact and vapor effects of essential oils from different plants were studied in vitro for fungicidal and fungistatic activity towards different Basidiomycete, Ascomycete, Zygomycete and Oomycete taxa. Of nine essential oils tested, most were fungicidal at very low concentrations to most of the fungi. Hyphae were more sensitive than spores to the formulations. The essential oils citral, β-citronellol, geraniol and oil of lavender, at 1 μL mL^-1 medium or 12 μL L^-1 of air, inhibited growth and germination in the fungal species examined. Different species of fungal genera reacted differently to the formulations. Some of the formulations were fungistatic to spore germination.