Chemical Composition and Antifungal Effects of Vitex agnus-castus L. and Myrtus communis L. Plants

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of essential plant oils from Vitex agnus-cactus L. (VAC) and Myrtus communzs L. against the plant pathogens, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici (Sacc.) W.C. Synder & H.N. Hans, Rhizoctonia solani J.G. Kuhn., Sderotznia sclerodorum (Lib.) de Bary and Verticillium dahliae Kleb., and to determine the chemical composition of the compounds in these essential oils. GC/MS analysis was identified 25 different compounds in VAC essential oil, while the main compounds were determined as Eucalyptol (17.75%), beta-Caryophyllene (13.21%) and Spathulenol (10.41%). On the other hand, the essential oil of M. communis, consisted of 16 different compounds which were Eucalyptol (49.15%), Myrtenol (19.49%) and alpha-Pinene (8.38%) being its main compounds. An assessment of antifungal activity was performed under in vitro conditions. Plant pathogens were inoculated onto Petri dishes (60 mm) containing PDA medium (10 mL/Petri(-1)), and plant essential oils were applied at concentrations of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 5 and 10 (mu L/Petri(-1)) into the 5 mm diameter wells opened on the Petri dish surface. After that, the Petri dishes incubated at 22 +/- 2 degrees C. The results of this study, the essential oil of M communis, at a dose of 10 mu L/ Petri, inhibited the 100% mycelium growth of V. dahliae, S. sderotiorum and R. solani. The highest dose of VAC essential oil was also 100% inhibited V. dahliae and S. sderotiorum. The LC50 and LC90 values of M communzs and VAC essential oil calculated for V. dahliae, FORL, S. sderodorum and R. solani. This plant extracts were shown by in vitro conditions to be potential antifungal agents.