Potential of some medicinal and aromatic plants grown in Algeria as biopesticides

Abstract

This study investigates the properties and antifungal potential of essential oils extracted from Thymus vulgaris, Lavandula stoechas ssp. pedunculata, and Ruta montana, which grow naturally in the Guelma region of Algeria. The plants were tested against Aspergillus niger and Zymoseptoria tritici. Hydrodistillation technique is used to extract the essential oils, employing a Clevenger-type apparatus, the highest yield of EO is obtained from Thymus vulgaris, followed by Lavandula stoechas and then Ruta montana. Antifungal activity is evaluated using the disc diffusion method for oils using 4 treatments (Thymus vulgaris EO, Lavandula stoechas EO, Ruta montana EO, and a mixture of Lavandula stoechas EO and Ruta montana EO v/v), and 4 volumes of pure EO for each treatment/pathogen. The study reveals satisfactory antifungal activity against the studied pathogens at the tested volumes of essential oils from all plant species. These results contribute to understanding the antifungal potential of these essential oils, highlighting their potential as natural alternatives to control plant pathogens and reduce crop losses while protecting the environment