FROM STUDIES ON POSSIBILITY OF PROTECTING BLUE SPRUCE (Picea pungens Engelm.) AGAINST FUNGI. PART II. LABORATORY ASSESSMENT OF ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF SELECTED ESSENTIAL OILS

Abstract

The antifungal properties of selected essential oils, i.e. lavender, mint, orange, spruce and thyme oils, were checked in vitro to fungi isolated from blue spruce (Picea pungens Engelm.) and its cultivar ‘Glauca’. The degree and extent of antifungal activity for essential oils listed above were tested on the following fungi: Acremonium tubakii, Anthostomella conorum, Arthrinium state of Apiospora montagnei, Aureobasidium pullulans, Botryodiplodia rubi, Fusarium camptoceras, F. moniliforme var. lactis, Penicillium canescens, Phoma pomorum, Rhizosphaera kalkhoffii, Ulocladium consortiale and Zythiostroma pinastri. Among essential oils tested the thyme oil showed the highest antifungal activity to all fungi under examination even at the lowest concentration used. The mint, lavender and spruce oils demonstrated a medium activity. The lowest activity was found for orange oil