Evaluation of three essential oils as potential sources of botanical fungicides

In a previous  study, a microbioassay was developed and used  for  the  in vitro  screening of thirty  essential  oils  against  two  important  pathogens  of  citrus  (Penicillium  italicum  and  P. digitatum) and one  important pathogen of banana  (Colletotrichum musea). Three essential oils  (Cinnamomum  zeylanicum,  C.  verum  and  Eugenia  caryophyllus)  showed  a  good antifungal effect. The present study was thus undertaken to evaluate the  in vivo activity of these essential oils. To  this end,  fresh orange  fruits were disinfected and wounded before being  treated  at  the  wound  site  with  the  following  treatments:  distilled  water,  ethanol (1.5%), fungicide (0.4%), or with one of the essential oils (0.5, 1, 5, 10 and 20%). Two hours later, orange wounds were inoculated with a suspension (104 spores/ml) of P. italicum or P. digitatum. 

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