Disinfecting capacity of essential oil of Thymus pulegioides L. (lamiaceae) chemotypes against phytopathogenic Pseudomonas species

The antibacterial activity of essential oils of T. pulegioides chemotypes — geraniol/geranial/neral (G/G/N), thymol (T) and linalool (L) — was studied against the seven phytopathogenic Pseudomonas species isolated from vegetables. The chemotypes were defined according to their main essential oil components: geraniol, thymol and linalool. The results showed that the essential oil of T chemotype had the strongest anti-Pseudomonas activity: it inhibited the growth of all investigated bacteria up to even 84.4% in comparison with controls. The essential oils of L chemotype inhibited the growth of bacteria less than T chemotype, and G/G/N chemotype proved to be the least effective. These differences of anti-Pseudomonas activity depend on the different chemical composition of essential oils of investigated T. pulegioides chemotypes