Effect of essential oils from some higher plants against fungi causing damping-off disease

A screening of leaves of 25 taxa of angiosperms was made for their volatile toxicity against damping-off fungi. The volatile substances fromHyptis suaveolens andOcimum canum were toxic againstPythium aphanidermatum, P. debaryanum andRhizoctonia solani. The fungitoxicity of the leaves persisted for 15 d of storage. The volatile substances from the leaves ofO. canum were thermostable, while those fromH. suaveolens were thermolabile. The essential oils exhibited strong potency against the pathogens tested, non-phytotoxic nature to the host plants and superiority over commonly used synthetic fungicidesAgrosan G.N. andCaptan. The findings indicate the possibility to use these essential oils as potential natural fungicides in management of damping-off pathogens.