Most plants are resistant to different pathogens and this resistance may be related to the existence of naturally produced fungistatic components. The present work evaluated the fungitoxic activity of essential oils from three eucalyptus species. The essential oils were obtained from eucalyptus leaves by steam distillation using a modified Clevenger apparatus. The phytopatogens Fusarium oxysporum, Botrytis cinerea and Bipolaris sorokiniana were employed in the biological tests. The growth of fungi in the presence of different concentrations of oil (5, 50, and 500 mg/kg), using BDA (Potato-Dextrose-agar) and PCA (Potato-Carrot-agar) culture media were evaluated. Significant inhibition of the micelial growth of the fungal species was observed at the concentration of 500 mg/kg of oil after a period of seven days. The essential oil of Eucalyptus urophylla showed the greatest fungitoxic activity. This fact was attributed to the presence of the compound globulol, which was absent in the oils obtained from E. camaldulensis and E. citriodora.
Eucalyptus; essential oil; fungitoxic activity
