ESSENTIAL OILS AND HOMEMADE FUNGICIDES AGAINST FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM F. SP. LYCOPERSICI TOMATO PATHOGEN

The destructive disease of tomato worldwide, fusarium wilt, is caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Sacc) W. C. Synder & H. N. Hans., a vascular wilt pathogen. The fungus affects greenhouse and field grown tomatoes in warm vegetable production areas. Yellowed leaves and wilted plants with low or absent crop yield are the main symptoms of the disease. In this paper we have analyzed possible substitutes to synthetic fungicides in controlling the pathogen. Since the potential of essential oils as antimicrobial agents is well established and farmers around the world already use traditional recipes, we have decided to test a fair amount of essential oils and four homemade fungicides against the growth of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici mycelium. For the experiment, 1 ml of essential oil serial dilutions of 0.1%, 1% and 10% were used along with the most used worldwide homemade fungicides. Fungal growth measurements were taken every 24h for 13 days, until no fungal growth was registered. Results show that 0.1% essential oils concentration had no inhibitory effect, while at 1% oil concentration only oregano essential oil was 61% effective. At 10% cinnamon, cloves, thyme, oregano and lemon essential oils showed cidal effects.