Screening of essential oils of angiospermic plants for their fungitoxicity against Alternaria alternata Fr. Keissle

Fresh parts of angiospermic plants were collected from different places of the local area and were subjected to hydrodistillation through Clevengers apparatus so as to isolate the volatile plant products (essential oils). The isolated essential oils were tested for their antifungal activity at 1000 ppm, against Alternaria alternata, the causal agent of postharvest Alternaria rot (black rot)of Tomato by the poisoned food technique using potato dextrose agar medium. Out of 28 essential oils tested, most of the oils showed either poor or moderate activity. However, the essential oils of seeds of Anethum graveolens and Cuminum cyminum exhibited absolute fungitoxicity inhibiting the growth of A. alternata test fungus completely at 1000 ppm. Therefore the oils of seeds of Anethum graveolens and Cuminum cyminum were selected for detailed investigation, because of their absolute fungitoxicity