Antifungal Activity of Three Essential Oils on Growth and Toxigenesis of Penicillium aurantiogriseum and Penicillium viridicatum

Abstract

The effect of eucalyptus, rosemary and mugwort essential oils was evaluated on the mycelial growth and toxigenesis of Penicillium aurantiogriseum and P. viridicatum. A significant decrease in mycelial dry weight was obtained with the addition of 0.05–2.5% of each of the three essential oils in yeast extract sucrose broth. The inhibition of mycelium growth was tested on malt extract agar, Czapeck yeast agar, yeast extract sucrose agar and broth at constant pH, and was highly effective for mugwort, followed by eucalyptus. A complete inhibition of toxin production was observed with 0.44% of each essential oil for P. aurantiogriseum and 0.22% for P. viridicatum.

Key Word Index:

• Antifungal activity
• Artemisia herba-alba
• Asteraceae
• Eucalyptus globulus
• Myrtaceae
• Rosmarinus officinalis
• Lamiaceae