Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Plant Biosystems, cilt.160, sa.3, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Colletotrichum karsti has recently been reported as the causal agent of anthracnose in citrus and avocado trees in Hatay province, Turkey. This study investigated the chemical composition and in vitro antifungal activities of essential oils (EOs) from ten different plant species against C. karsti. The chemical constituents of the EOs were analysed by GC–MS, revealing major components characteristic of each species, including carvacrol, thymol, trans-anethole, eucalyptol, linalool, and limonene. The antifungal activity of the EOs in the vapour phase was evaluated against mycelial growth, and effective concentration (EC50) was calculated using Probit analysis. Among the tested EOs, those from Thymbra spicata var. spicata, Origanum syriacum, Thymus serpyllum, Foeniculum vulgare, Aloysia citrodora, Mentha × piperita nothosubsp. piperita 'Aura', and Origanum majorana exhibited the highest antifungal activity, achieving 100% inhibition of mycelial growth at low doses ranging from 4.0 to 20.0 µl per Petri dish. In contrast, EOs from Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Citrus × aurantium required much higher doses (60.0 and 175.0 µl per Petri dish, respectively) for complete inhibition, while Ferula communis EO was ineffective in completely inhibiting the mycelial growth of the fungal pathogen at all tested doses. Light microscopy revealed severe morphological deformities in fungal hyphae exposed to fungicidal doses of the most active EOs, including cytoplasmic coagulation, cell wall disruption, and hyphal swelling. These findings demonstrate that several of the tested EOs, particularly those rich in phenolic monoterpenoids, possess strong in vitro antifungal activity against C. karsti. They represent promising candidates for further investigation as potential biofungicides, although in vivo studies and field validation are essential before any practical recommendations can be made.