BelSU researchers announced the essential oils effective in antifungal biologic drugs synthesis

Cladosporium and Altenaria mold fungi are considered to be the most dangerous for the crops and yield in general. The research conducted at the Division of Biotechnology and Microbiology under supervision of Associate Professor Yulia Kurkina was focused on the analysis of drug plant essential oils effectiveness when applied as biofungicides – organic plant protecting agents. As part of the laboratory experiment on edible beans leaves affected by mold fungi the biotechnologists studied anti-fungi activity of natural essential oil samples – wormwood, pink, coriander, lavender, basil, anise, rosemary and thyme.

“Based on the proposed 5-grade scale we highly estimated the fungicidal activity in relation to both phytopathogenic strains of only three essential oils – basil, coriander and thyme. The phytopathogenic communities did not grow in their presence”, commented the results Yulia Kurkina.

For the further study aimed at biological drugs synthesis for plants protection against Alternaria spot and black mould the researchers recommend to apply essential oils extracted from the plants having a complex effect on both phytopathogenic strains – fungicidal oils of basil, coriander, thyme which totally inhibit the fungi growth as well as the natural lavender oil characterized by high fungistatic activity.