Inhibitory Effect of Some Plant Essential Oils against Corn Stalk Rot and Ear Rot

Abstract

Yield losses are experienced in corn fields due to stalk and ear rot disease. The fungicides used against the disease cannot show the desired effect and the problem of resistance arises over time. For this reason, it is necessary to develop new strategies in the control against the disease. In this study, it was aim to determine the inhibitory effects of essential oils of rosemary, black cumin, cumin and sandalwood, and ginger against Fusarium verticillioides and Fusarium pseudograminearum under in vitro conditions. The essential oils were applied in doses of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 µl mL-1. PDA medium free of essential oils was used as negative control and PDA medium containing commercial fungicide (80 g l-1 Triticonazole, 40 g l-1 Pyraclostrobin-BASF company) was used as positive control. The experiment was carried out in a randomized plot design with three replications. In addition, chemical content analysis of essential oils was determined by GC-MS method. As a result of the study, as the dose of rosemary, black cumin, sandalwood and ginger essential oils increased, their inhibitory effects against both pathogens increased, and these effects were found close to each other. While the highest inhibitory effect against F. verticillioides and F. pseudograminearum was detected in the positive control treatment of cumin essential oil, 82.1% and 78.9%, respectively, this effect was found to be 74.6% and 68.3% in 4 µl mL-1 dose, respectively. However, more detailed studies should be carried out with these essential oils under field conditions.