Biological control of botrytis cinerea, pathogen of vegetables, using different essential oils in vitro

Effectiveness of essential oils of Pinus silvestris, Petroselinum crispum, Origanum vulgare, Pimpinella anisum, Mentha piperita, Eucaliptus citriodora and Rosmarinus officinalis in control of Botrytis cinerea were tested, in vitro. Mycelial plug of B. cinerea was transferred to the center of the Petri plate. The oils were applied as a drop onto the inner side of the plate covers on the sterile filter paper, at the concetration of 0.04, 0.06, 0.1, 0.15, 0.3 and 0.6 µl/ml of air of the plate. To enable contact of volatile phase and pathogen, the plates were kept upside down and sealed with self-adhesive foil. Inhibitory effect of tested oils has been determined four days after setting the trial by calculating percentage of inhibition of radial growth of pathogen mycelium (PIRG), while minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC) have been determined seven i.e. fourteen days after. For determining MFC, plates were ventilated in the sterile laminar flow for 30 minutes in order to remove volatiles of oils. Lowest MIC and MFC expressed O.vulgre applied at 0.04 µl/ml of air, followed by P. anisum applied at 0.06 µl/ml and 0.1µl/ml, M.piperita both MIC and MFC (0.15 µl/ml), E. citriodora (0.3 µI/ml), P. crispum (0.6 µl/ml) and P.silvestris (>0.6 µl/ml of air). Based on these results we can conclude that essential oils can be adequate solution for mntrol of B. cinerea, in vitro.