In: Sydowia 75, (2023): 293-312; ISSN 0082-0598, DOI 10.12905/0380.sydowia75-2023-0293, Published online on April 05, 2023

Antifungal activity of some essential oils against Fusarium wilt disease of faba bean

Samah Abd El-Kader El-Debaiky* & Khalil M. Saad-Allah

Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Egypt

* e-mail: samaheldebaiky@science.tanta.edu.eg

El-Debaiky S.A. & Saad-Allah K.M. (2023) Antifungal activity of some essential oils against Fusarium wilt disease of faba
bean. – Sydowia 75: 293–312.

Fusarial wilt of faba bean is a major cause of yield loss worldwide. For minimizing chemical fungicide utilization, natural
alternatives were used. Antifungal activity of eleven essential oils was evaluated in vitro against some phyto-pathogenic fungi.
At 5 % MIC values, clove and mint EOs demonstrated promising efficacy against the investigated fungi, particularly Fusarium
oxysporum f. fabae (FOF). The potential of mint and clove EOs and a commercial chemical fungicide in controlling FOF wilt
disease in faba bean plants was examined in a pot experiment. FOF infection severely impacted faba bean germination and
growth rates, CAT, GPX and APX activities, phenolics, flavonoids and GB contents, but non-significantly affected chlorophyll
content. Additionally, this infection raised the level of carotenoids, osmomodulators, stress indicators, as well as SOD and PPO
activities. Histochemically, FOF caused leaf tissues to accumulate more H2O2 and O2•-. Though clove and mint EOs, single or FOFintegrated
treatments, did not affect photosynthetic pigments level, they were powerful in reducing stress markers with tiny signs
of H2O2 and O2
•– generation. When combined with FOF, EOs greatly restored metabolic and antioxidative homeostasis of stressed
plants. So, EOs might be utilized safely without any constraints as a natural substitute for synthetic fungicides.

Keywords: Wilt disease, Fusarium oxysporum, antioxidative response, fungicide.