154 Francisco Wilson Reichert Jr., Maurício Albertoni Scariot, Jéssica Mulinari et al.

ground as an alternative for the control of diseases, insects and weeds (Isman, 2006; Abad et
al, 2006; Singh et al., 2003; Ootani et al., 2013). Studies have proved the efficiency of plant
extracts obtained from several botanical species and essential oils have excelled (Maia et al.,
2015).
The oils are obtained from flowers, leaves, rhizomes and fruits, mainly through the steam
distillation method. The main compounds of the composition are mono and sesquiterpenes
and phenylpropanoids (Bizzo, 2009).
Phytotherapy mainly with use of essential oils has been used to combat pathogenic fungi
for hundreds of years, compounds in oil are often produced in the secondary metabolism of
plants and microorganisms and exert protection function (Bullerman et al., 1977; Maia et al.,
2015).
Essential oils have been used in several agronomic areas, with fungistatic, insecticide and
herbicide effects, killing or repelling storage insects, and hampering on their feeding or
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reproduction, in addition to preventing the proliferation of spoilage fungi and causing damage
on weeds hampering their competitiveness (Procópio et al, 2003; Kabeh and Jalingo, 2007;
Ootani et al., 2013).
Several natural compounds which have pesticide substances have been studied as the
basis for the development of new products, there are compounds which already have their
biological efficiency well established, among them are: Pyrethroids, nicotine, azadirachtin
and rotenone (Oliveira et al., 1999; Roel, 2001). Relevant compounds are sesquiterpenes and
monoterpenes with insecticidal and fungicidal activity and some level of phytotoxicity
(Ootani et al., 2013).
Essential oils have shown effect on insects and fungi, in the study of Coitinho et al.,
(2010) the persistance of oils from Piper hispidinervum¸ Melaleuca leucadendron, Eugenia
uniflora, Schinus terebinthifolius and Piper marginatum was evaluated on Sitophilus zeamais
in storage corn, and it was found that the insects mortality ranged from 93.8 to 100% in the
early periods of exposure, decreasing over time. Related to fungi several oils has presented
effect on Fusarium sp.; Aspergillus niger, Alternaria solani, and others (Pereira et al., 2006;
Balbi-Peña et al., 2006; Ootani et al., 2013).
Given the importance of the plant health in the cultivation of plants and the damage
caused by the use of pesticides to health and the environment, essential oils are becoming a
viable alternative to control pathogenic agents, agricultural pests and weeds (Ootani et al.,
2013).
There is a huge botanical diversity in the world that has not been studied and this
demonstrates the possible development of bioactive products from these plant resources.
Since it is necessary to search for a more sustainable agriculture.

ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY
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Much of the essential oils have antimicrobial action. This activity is related to the action
of certain substances in the composition of these oils such as monoterpenes, phenolics and
terpenoids compounds (Gilles et al., 2010; Maia et al., 2015). The biological activity of the
essential oil compounds can act with fungicidal action, depending on the tested doses (Maia
et al., 2015).

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 Essential Oils Applications in Agriculture 155

Several studies are already showing the fungicidal effect of the essential oils of several
plant species. In the study of Stevic et al., (2014) who tested the effect of the essential oils
from Citrus aurantium amara, Citrus aurantium bergamia, Citrus limon, Coriandrum
sativum, Eucalyptus globulus, Illicium verum, Lavandula angustifolia, Matricaria recutita,
Melaleuca alternifolia, Ocimum basillicum, Pelargonium graveolens, Rosa damascena,
Satureja hortensis, Thymus vulgaris, Viola odorata and Origanum haracleoticum, against 21
phytopathogenic fungi of pre and post-harvest found that the essential oils from Satureja
hortensis, Origanum haracleoticum, Thymus vulgaris and Rosa damascena showed a high
fungicidal effect compared to other tested oils, which can be the base for studies of possible
products with antifungal activity. In addition, a combination of some of these oils showed
higher antifungal activity compared to their single use, what can even reduce the required
dose.
It is discussed that the antifungal activity of the essential oils is possibly the result of
chitin infiltrating the hyphae wall, damaging the lipoprotein cytoplasmic membrane, leading
to cytoplasmic leakage, as well as hyphal emptying and wilting (Zambonelli et al., 1996; Dos
santos et al., 2013; Maia et al., 2015).
In the study of Rasooli et al., (2006), it was observed by electron microscopy that the
Aspergillus niger structures exposed to 125 ppm concentration of essential oil from Thymus
eriocalyx showed lack of cytoplasm, folding of the nuclear membrane and thickened cell
wall, resulting in the growth inhibition of the fungi and leading to irreversible morphological
damages.
This result corroborates with Xing et al., (2014) that, when testing the essential oils from
cinnamon, eucalyptus, anise, peppermint, camphor, eugenol and synthetic chemical
compounds, as cinnamaldehyde, against Fusarium verticillioides, showed that all tested oils
in concentrations above 40 µL per petri plate (90 mm) inhibited the growth of F.
verticillioides, highlighting the essential oil of cinnamon, that inhibited the increase in
diameter and growth of F. verticillioides, which remained at 1.1 ± 0.1 cm from 6 to 20 days,
proving to be more effective than the other tested oils. By observing in the microscope
cinnamon oil effects on the fungus, it was found that F. verticillioides mycelia showed
changes in the apical regions along the length of the hyphae. The hyphae became thin,
gnarled and shrunked, in addition to the appearance of craters, damage and disruption of the
cell wall.
Several plant species that have significant fungitoxic components are considered weeds
or invasive plants (not native to a specific location). In the study of Eloff et al. (2007), it was
concluded that the species Amaranthus spinosus, Vigna unguiculata, Solanum mauritianum,
Ricinus communis and Cestrum laevigatum showed effect on micro-organisms, including
Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum, Phytophthora nicotiana and Rhizoctonia solani. One
reason why weeds and invasive plants are more successful is for resisting more readily to
pathogen attack because these plants propagate in an independent way, and can be exposed to
different ecosystems and to the attack of many pathogens, thus speeding up the process of
adapting to new adversity, unlike plants of agricultural interest.
For the most part, studies showed that the essential oils of a wide range of plant species
showed inhibition in the growth and proliferation of several fungal species (Table 1). This
inhibition may be closely linked to several physiological disorders caused by the action of
compounds present in the oils, and their effectiveness is also related to the tested dose.

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