Authors: C Romagnoli R Bruni E Andreotti M K Rai C B Vicentini D Mares
Publish Date: 2005/05/04
Volume: 225, Issue: 1-2, Pages: 57-65
Abstract
The essential oil extracted by steam distillation from the capitula of Indian Tagetes patula Asteraceae was evaluated for its antifungal properties and analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry Thirty compounds were identified representing 891 of the total detected The main components were piperitone 2474 piperitenone 2293 terpinolene 78 dihydro tagetone 491 cistagetone 462 limonene 452 and alloocimene 366 The oil exerted a good antifungal activity against two phytopathogenic fungi Botrytis cinerea and Penicillium digitatum providing complete growth inhibition at 10 µl/ml and 125 µl/ml respectively The contribution of the two main compounds piperitone and piperitenone to the antifungal efficacy was also evaluated and ultrastructural modifications in mycelia were observed via electron microscopy evidencing large alterations in hyphal morphology and a multisite mechanism of action
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