Antifungal Activity of Volatile Components Extracted from Leaves, Stems and Flowers of Four Plants Growing in Tunisia

Abstract

Volatile components extracted from the leaves, stems and flowers of Lantana camara, Malvaviscus arboreus, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cv. red flowers and white flowers were tested against the fungi Alternaria solani, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium solani f. sp. cucurbitae, F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum, Pythium ultimum, Rhizoctonia solani and Verticillium dahliae. The strongest inhibitory effect of the extracts was found with volatile components extracted from the stems and the flowers. Complete inhibition was achieved against V. dahliae. The weakest effect was against P. ultimum. Volatile components extracted from the leaves were not effective.