IN VITRO EVALUATION OF THE FUNGICIDAL EFFECT OF OREGANO EXTRACT ON Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. Lycopersici

 SUMMARY

 

The vegetable extract of oregano (Lippia graveolens Kunth) has a fungicidal effect due to carvacrol and thymol, being an environmentally friendly alternative. This plant extract has a potential use for the control of the fungus Fusarium oxisporum f sp. lycopercisi, which causes economic losses to tomato cultivation.

In this research, the control that oregano extract exerts on this fungus was evaluated, five concentrations were used: 93 ppm, 75 ppm, 56 ppm, 38 ppm and 18 ppm thymol, as a control, etridiazole plus thiophanate methyl (Banrot 40 WP) and distilled water with alcohol were used, the evaluation was handled under laboratory conditions using a completely randomized design with eight treatments and ten replications. The concentration of 93 ppm of thymol oregano extract showed a significant difference in the inhibition of mushroom mycelium growth compared to the rest of the concentrations of extract and the absolute control during the first five days after application; Etridiazole and Thiophanate Methyl showed the highest growth inhibition on the fungus compared to the other treatments. With the concentrations used, it was not possible to determine the mean lethal dose (LD50), because percentages of inhibition of fungal growth greater than 50% were not obtained.

Oregano plant extract at a dose of 93 ppm thymol is recommended to be applied as an adjunct to an integrated management plan for the control of F. oxisporum f sp. lycopercisi.