The Impact of Plant Essential Oils on the Growth of the Pathogens Botrytis cinerea , Fusarium solani , and Phytophthora pseudocryptogea .

Essential oils (EOs) extracted from aromatic and medicinal plants have the potential to inhibit the growth of various pathogens and, thus, be useful in the control of dangerous diseases. The application of environmentally friendly approaches to protect agricultural and forestry ecosystems from invasive and hazardous species has become more significant in last decades. Therefore, the identification and characterization of essential oils with a strong inhibitory activity against aggressive and widespread pathogens are of key importance in plant protection research. The main purpose of our study is to evaluate the impact of essential oils originating from different genotypes of bee balm, mint, and marigold on Botrytis cinerea , Fusarium solani , and Phytophthora pseudocryptogea . Twelve essential oils, including five EOs originating from Monarda fistulosa , one oil each from Monarda russeliana , Mentha longifolia , Mentha piperita , Tagetes patula , and Tagetes erecta , and two EOs from Tagetes tenuifolia were derived by steam or water distillation. The chemical composition of the tested EOs was determined by GS-MS analyses and their corresponding chemotypes were identified. The most effective against all three pathogens were determined to be the EOs originating from M. fistulosa and M. russeliana . B. cinerea , and P. pseudocryptogea were also significantly affected by the M. piperita essential oil. The most efficient EOs involved in this investigation and their potential to control plant pathogens are discussed.