The fungitoxicities of plant furocoumarins

A mixture of the furocoumarins pimpinellin, isopimpinellin, isobergapten and sphondin isolated from Heracleum sphondylium root was toxic to Gloeosporium limetticola, Botryis cinerea, Sclerotinia fructigena and Stereum purpureum at 200 p.p.m. or less in nutrient medium. The extractive of the leaves of plants that contain furocoumarins suppressed in vivo growth of G. limetticola and B. cinerea at concentrations lower than the contents of the extractive in the leaves. Furocoumarins may form an important class of natural defensive agents against fungi; this possibility is discussed.