Determination of the Potential for use of Plant Essential Oils as a Fungicide Against Fusarium Oxysporum (OG10)

This study aimed to determine whether the essential oils of thyme, ginger, and mint from medicinal aromatic plants can provide resistance to the pathogen Fusarium oxysporum in the maize plant. To this end, the antifungal effect of 0.1 ml, 0.25 ml, 0.5 ml, and 1 ml essential oil amounts was determined by the agar disc diffusion method. It was determined that concentrations containing 0.1, and 0.25 ml essential oil showed no antifungal effects, however, concentrations containing 0.5 and 1 ml essential oil had antifungal effects. The most effective concentration was found to be 1 ml of essential oil in all three species. The maize was grown under hydroponic conditions. Thyme, ginger, and mint essential oils (1 g/100 ml) were applied to the root medium of the grown maize plant on the 8th day. An F. oxysporum suspension containing 107 spores was applied after 24 hours and harvested 3 days later. When the reactive oxygen species (H2O2) and MDA amounts of the harvested plants were examined, it was observed that there was an increase in the population of F. oxysporum. However, applications of thyme, ginger, and mint essential oil have been observed to significantly reduce these. It was also determined that essential oils protected the plant against F. oxysporum by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities. Although these three essential oils applied have antifungal properties, it has been observed that the best effect belongs to thyme essential oil. The results show that essential oils of thyme ginger and mint can be used as potential fungicides against the pathogen F. oxysporum in maize cultivation