Although utilization of synthetic chemicals is inevitable for management of economically detrimental
agents, numerous side-effects such as environmental contaminations and effects of non-target organisms associated with
them. Plant essential oils with low/without toxicity on mammals and as bio-degradable natural materials have been
considered for different pests and fungi management in the recent years. In the present study, the essential oil of
Thymus
kotschyanus isolated by a Clevenger apparatus and its mycelial growth inhibition was measured against two
phytopathogenic fungi
Botrytis cinerea
and
Fusarium graminearum
. The best models for predicting of antifungal effects
were quadratic models. The essential oil showed a prospective mycelial growth inhibition against both phytopathogenic
fungi. Optimization of the antifungal effects indicated that 206.207 ppm of the essential oil caused 50% mycelial growth
inhibition of
B. cinerea after 89.651 h. This value was 85.600 ppm for
F. graminearum within 117.194 h. Results of the
present study designated a great potential of
T. kotschyanus essential oil for management of pathogenic fungi
B. cinerea
and
F. graminearum.
