Composition of the Essential Oil of Spontaneous Rosmarinus officinalis from Greece and Antifungal Activity Against Phytopathogenic Fungi

Abstract

The chemical composition of the essential oil of spontaneous Rosmarinus officinalis from Greece was analyzed by GC and GC/MS and tested for its antifungal activity against five phytopathogenic fungi (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Phytophthora nicotianae, Sclerotium cepivorum, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. dianthi and Fusarium proliferatum). Thirty-seven components compounds representing 97.3% of the total oil were identified. The major constituents were α-pinene (24.1%), camphor (14.9%), 1,8-cineole (9.3%), camphene (8.9%), α-terpineol (8.8%) and borneol (8.0%). The most sensitive fungus was Ph. nicotianae, followed by S. sclerotiorum, S. cepivorum, F. proliferatum and F. oxysporum f. sp. dianthi.

Key Word Index:

• Rosmarinus officinalis
• Labiatae
• essential oil composition
• α-pinene
• antifungal activity