Control of Fusarium spp. causing damping-off of pine seedlings by means of selected essential oils

Published Date
15 December 2015, Vol.76:329–332, doi:10.1016/j.indcrop.2015.07.002

Short communication
Author 

• L. Seseni
 
• T. Regnier ^,
 
• M.P. Roux-van der Merwe
 
• E. Mogale
 
• J. Badenhorst

• Departments of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Tshwane University of Technology, PO Box 56208, Arcadia, Pretoria 0001, South Africa

Received 5 December 2014. Revised 28 May 2015. Accepted 1 July 2015. Available online 24 July 2015. 

Highlights

• Ten essential oils were selected according to their price, availability and previously reported antifungal property against Fusarium.
• •
  Lemongrass, clove and thyme essential oils were found to control Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium circinatum and Fusarium circinatum mat 1 and mat 2.
• •
  No positive synergism was observed when lemongrass and clove were mixed together.

Abstract

Damping-off is regarded as one of the most serious risks to pine plantations and the disease poses a potentially devastating threat to the future sustainability of the South African softwood industry. In spite of numerous prevention methods being tested, no absolute means of controlling the fungus is available to nurseries. In this study, 10 commercially available essential oils were assessed in vitro for their antifungal activity against four strains of Fusarium. Considering the efficacy, as reflected by the MIC values obtained, cost and availability of the essential oils, lemongrass is proposed as the most promising candidate for an in vivo study, first on a small scale and then under commercial conditions.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

• Essential oil
• Pinus
• Fusarium
• Damping-off

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  *Corresponding author. Fax: +27 12 3826286.

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