Determination of the Essential Oil Composition and the Antifungal Activities of Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis L.)

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the composition andthe antifungal activity of the essential oils of Vaccinium myrtillus and Laurus nobilis plants. In the study, 22 components were identified in the essential oil of V myrtillus, which represented 100 % of the total essential oils. Accordingly, 1,8-cineole (41.07 %), beta-Linalool (12.72 %), alpha-Pinene (12.17 %) and Myrtenol (6.48%) were determined as the main components of the essential oil of V. myrtillus. The essential oil of L. nobilis consisted of 39 compounds and 1,8-cineole (50.68 %), alpha-Terpinyl acetate (14.19 %), 4-Terpinenol (4.07 %) and alpha-Terpineol (2.90 %) were determined as the main components, which represented 100 %of the total essential oils. In the trials, doses of 0 (control) 1, 2, 4, 8 and 10 mu L/petri dish were used. V myrtillus essential oil inhibited mycelial growth in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.), Alternaria solani, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici (Sacc.) W.C. Synder & H.N. Hans (FORL) and and Verticillium dahliae Kleb by 61.38 %, 100 %, 80.36 % and 57.91 % respectively. Bay laurel essential oil at 10 mu L/petri dish dose inhibited the mycelial growth of A. solani, S. sclerotiorum, (FORL) by 100 %, whereas it inhibited the mycelial growth in V dahliae by 61.23 %. Study results showed that V myrtillus and L. nobilis essential oils have strong antifungal activities.