During the past decades, efforts in search of alternative fungicides have been focused on natural compounds from plant sources due to their less toxicity and more environmental compatible. In this study, essential oil extracted from mature seeds of ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi Lin.) was evaluated against three strains of Fusarium oxysporum, F. oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici, F.oxysporum f.sp. cubense and F. oxysporum f.sp. capsici the wilt pathogen of tomato, banana and chili respectively. The in vitro assay based on poison food method indicates that ajowan oil, in solution phase, possesses strong antifungal activity against the test fungi. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and the Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) were 240 and 480 μgꞏmL-1, respectively. The antifungal activity of volatile headspace of the essential oil was evaluated under a modified atmosphere in inverted Petri-plates. Headspace vapor of ajowan oil has a strong activity with Minimum Inhibitory Quantity (MIQ) and the Minimum Fungicidal Quantity (MFQ) of 12.5 and 25.0 μl, respectively. Additionally, the effects of ajowan oil on the biomass production and sporulation of the test fungi indicate that it has significant retardation effect on the biomass production and sporulation of the fungi. Results suggested that ajowan oil has potential use as a biofungicide against the wilt pathogens.
Keywords: ajowan , Fusarium oxysporum, antifungal activity
E-mail: sirirat2@yahoo.com
Siripornvisal*, S. . (2018). Antifungal Activity of Ajowan Oil against Fusarium oxysporum. CURRENT APPLIED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 45-51.
