Use of Essential Oils in Control Strategies against Zucchini Powdery Mildew |
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| Authors: | Lucia Donnarumma Filomena Milano Stefano Trotta Tiziana Annesi |
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| Affiliation: | Centro di ricerca per la patologia vegetale, Consiglio per la ricerca e la sperimentazione in agricoltura, Rome, Italy |
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| Abstract: | The growing interest in the substitution of ‘synthetic pesticides’ by natural ones has fostered the research on vegetable sources and the screening of plant materials to identify new compounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of several essential oils used alone and alternating with a synthetic fungicide. Experimental trials were carried out in greenhouse during the years 2012–2013 testing four alternative application programmes. Chemical composition of the essential oils and evaluation of their residues on treated zucchini leaves were reported by a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. Moreover, relative density analyses were carried out. The obtained results showed that the alternation of essential oils and synthetic chemicals can maintain a disease control, resulting that an integrated control management of zucchini powdery mildew is able to reduce the use of synthetic fungicides. |
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| Keywords: | essential oils integrated management powdery mildew quinoxyfen zucchini |
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