Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Cinnamon, Thyme, Oregano and Clove Essential Oils Against Plant Pathogenic Bacteria

Essential oils are volatile substances from plants and many of them have antimicrobial activity. For that reason, they have become known as a useful alternative to chemical preservatives and pesticides. In this study, we tested essential oils of four aromatic plants. Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), oregano (Origanum vulgare) and clove (Syzygium aromaticum) essential oils were investigated for their composition and antimicrobial effect against plant pathogenic bacteria (Pectobacterium spp. and Pseudomonas spp.). Both are commonly associated with diseased fruit trees in orchards and gardens. The chemical composition of the tested essential oils was identified by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The cinnamon essential oil was most effective form tested oil. The experimental results indicated that the wild strains of tested bacteria are more resistant to essential oils than commonly used laboratory strains. In conclusion, certain essential oils could be used for the control of postharvest bacterial pathogens. The findings of the present study suggest that the essential oils have a potential to be used as antimicrobial agents

Effect of sex on the nutritional value of house cricket, Acheta domestica L.

Since January 2018, insects have been recognised as novel foods in the EU, but their nutritional value varies, and factors affecting their nutritional composition have been debated. We investigated the effect of sex on the nutritional value and chemical composition of the house cricket (Acheta domestica L.). Both sexes were rich in protein and lipids. The proximate composition was partly influenced by sex; females contained a significantly higher amount of lipids (18.3–21.7 vs 12.9–16.1 g/100 g dry matter, p = 0.0001) and fewer proteins than males (61.2–64.9 vs 66.3–69.6 g/100 g dry matter, p = 0.0001). Males contained more chitin (p = 0.0015) and nitrogen chains (p = 0.0003) than females. Only the ash (p = 0.4314) and nitrogen-free extract (p = 0.4871) were uninfluenced by sex. Furthermore, nutrient quality expressed as essential amino acid (72.3–77.1), thrombogenicity (1.22–1.45), and atherogenicity indices (0.53–0.58) did not differ between sexes (p > 0.05). © 2018 Elsevier Ltd20182009, CZU, Česká Zemědělská Univerzita v PrazeInternal Grant Agency of the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czechia (CIGA) [20182009

MALDI-TOF MS as a method for rapid identification of Phytophthora de Bary, 1876

The number of described species of the oomycete genus Phytophthora is growing rapidly, highlighting the need for low-cost, rapid tools for species identification. Here, a collection of 24 Phytophthora species (42 samples) from natural as well as anthropogenic habitats were genetically identified using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) regions. Because genetic identification is time consuming, we have created a complementary method based on by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Both methods were compared and hypothesis that the MALDI-TOF MS method can be a fast and reliable method for the identification of oomycetes was confirmed. Over 3500 mass spectra were acquired, manually reviewed for quality control, and consolidated into a single reference library using the Bruker MALDI Biotyper platform. Finally, a database containing 144 main spectra (MSPs) was created and published in repository. The method presented in this study will facilitate the use of MALDI-TOF MS as a complement to existing approaches for fast, reliable identification of Phytophthora isolates

Insecticidal activity of two formulations of essential oils against the cereal leaf beetle

Purpose: Plant-derived essential oils and their encapsulations have recently received increasing interest as an alternative to synthetic biopesticides suitable for integrated pest management and organic farming. In this study, combinations of essential oils (EO) from Rosmarinus officinalis with Cymbopogon citratus and Pelargonium graveolens with Thymus vulgaris in two formulations including encapsulate were tested for their potential for wheat protection against adults and larvae of Oulema melanopus (L.). Materials and methods: The chemical composition of the essential oils was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Testing of insecticidal activity of the evaluated substances was conducted with 2.5 ml of tested combinations of EOs sprayed on the paper. Ten adults or larvae of O. melanopus were placed into a vessel. Control of mortality of O. melanopus specimens was assessed after 24 h after establishment of the experiment. Results and conclusions: Tarsal contact toxicity assay showed the effectiveness of EO in concentration against O. melanopus larvae and adults in both formulations (essential oil and encapsulation) causing 100% mortality within 24 h. These results indicate the great potential of these essential oils and their encapsulations for future use in crop protection against insect pests