Antifungal activities of essential oils of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) on crown rot pathogens of banana

In the present study, yields of essential oils (EO) from Cinnamomum zeylanicum syn. C. verum and Cymbopogon citratus extracted by hydro-distillation were 0.38% and 0.27% respectively. Their chemical composition obtained by gas chromatography revealed that, cinnamon EO is mainly composed of thujanol (38.22%) and cinnamyl acetate (24.67%) while Lemongrass EO is characterized by linalool acetate (41.29%) and geraniol (32.15%). These oils significantly inhibited mycelial growth and conidia germination. Cinnamon oil was fungicidal at 2075 and 2000 µl/l while Lemongrass oil was fungicidal at 475, 350 and 600 µl/l, respectively, against Colletotrichum musae, Fusarium incarnatum and F. verticillioides. At 1025, 950 and 1088 µl/l C. zylanicum oil totally inhibited conidia germination of C. musae, F. incarnatum and F. verticillioides. For C. citrinus oil, total inhibited occurs at 200, 185 and 275 µl/l respectively, against C. musae, F. incarnatum and F. verticillioides.