Evaluation of Antifungal Activity of some medicinal plants essential oils against Botrytis cinerea, causal agent of postharvest apple rot, in vitro

ABSTRACT: In this survey, antifungal activity of 13 species of medicinal plants essential oil was studied against apple gray mold through pour plate method and production of volatile compounds. The results showed that essential oils of Anise, Cumin, Caraway, Ammin, Pennyroyal, Thyme and Cinnamon in pour plate method at all concentrations of 250, 500, 750 microliters per liter, have a significant effect against Botrytis cinerea on PDA culture.By the volatile compounds production method, essence of Cumin, , Ammin, Pennyroyal, Dill, Cinnamon, Anise and Caraway showed the most inhibitory effect and the others somewhat illustrated fungistatic power. The results also indicated that the antifungal activity against B. cinerea increases parallel with raising concentrations of plant essential oils.