Chemical Composition and Antifungal Effects of Vitex agnus-castus L. and Myrtus communis L. Plants

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of essential plant oils from Vitex agnus-castus L. (VAC) and Myrtus communis L. against the plant pathogens, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici (Sacc.) W.C. Synder & H.N. Hans, Rhizoctonia solani J.G. KA¼hn., Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary and Verticillium dahliae Kleb., and to determine the chemical composition of the compounds in these essential oils. GC/MS analysis was identified 25 different compounds in VAC essential oil, while the main compounds were determined as Eucalyptol (17.75%), I²-Caryophyllene (13.21%) and Spathulenol (10.41%). On the other hand, the essential oil of M. communis , consisted of 16 different compounds which were Eucalyptol (49.15%), Myrtenol (19.49%) and I±-Pinene (8.38%) being its main compounds. An assessment of antifungal activity was performed under in vitro conditions. Plant pathogens were inoculated onto Petri dishes (60 mm) containing PDA medium (10 mL/Petri -1 ), and plant essential oils were applied at concentrations of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 5 and 10 (I¼L/Petri -1 ) into the 5 mm diameter wells opened on the Petri dish surface. After that, the Petri dishes incubated at 22±2 °C. The results of this study, the essential oil of M. communis , at a dose of 10 I¼L/ Petri, inhibited the 100% mycelium growth of V. dahliae , S. sclerotiorum and R. solani . The highest dose of VAC essential oil was also 100% inhibited V. dahliae and S. sclerotiorum . The LC 50 and LC 90 values of M. communis and VAC essential oil calculated for V. dahliae , FORL, S. sclerotiorum and R. solani . This plant extracts were shown by in vitro conditions to be potential antifungal agents.