„Ovidius” University Annals of Medical Science - Pharmacy Volume I, Number 2, 2003

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF ESSENTIAL OILS OF SOME

MEDICINAL PLANTS AGAINST PHYTOPHTHORA INFESTANS
E. Mine SOYLU a, Soner SOYLU a, Hikmet YİĞİTBAŞ a and D. Alpaslan KAYA b
a
Department of Plant Protection, Mustafa Kemal University, 31034 Antakya-Hatay, TURKEY.
b
Department of Field Crops, Çukurova University, 01330 Balcalı-Adana, TURKEY.

Abstract: In this study, antifungal activities of essential oils obtained from oregano (Origanum syriacum L. var.
bevanii), thyme (Thymbra spicata L. subsp. spicata), and lavender (Lavandula stoechas L. subsp. stoechas),
growing in The Eastern Mediterranean Region of Turkey, were investigated against Oomycete pathogen
Phytophthora infestans, causal agent of late blight of tomato. Both contact and volatile phase effects of different
doses of the essential oils used were determined by using two different methods in vitro. All essential oils were
found to inhibit the growth of P. infestans in a dose-dependent manner. Volatile phase effect of Oregano and
thyme oils at 0.3 µg/ml air was found to completely inhibit the growth of P. infestans. Totally growth inhibition
of pathogen by essential oil of lavender was, however, observed at 1.6 µg/ml air. For the determination of the
contact phase effects of the tested essential oils, Oregano and thyme oils at 6.4 µg/ml was found to inhibit the
growth of P. infestans completely. Essential oil of lavender was inhibitory at relatively higher concentration
(25.6µg/ml). Volatile phase effects of essential oils were consistently found to be more effective on fungal
growth than contact phase effect.

Keywords: Antimicrobial activity, essential oil, Lamiaceae, Phytophthora infestans

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