Bioefficacy of Essential Oils Against the Tomato Wilt Pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici

¹ Amity Institute of Horticulture Studies and Research, Amity University, Noida - 201313, India
² Amity Food and Agriculture Foundation, Amity University, Noida - 201313, India
³ ICAR-National Research Institute for Integrated Pest Management (NRIIPM), New Delhi - 110068, India

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici represents a major constraint to tomato production worldwide. The escalating concerns regarding synthetic fungicides necessitate exploration of sustainable alternatives. This study evaluated the in vitro antifungal efficacy of seven essential oils against F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici strain 8115 using the poisoned food technique. Essential oils of orange, mint, clove, lemongrass, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, and moringa were incorporated into potato dextrose agar at six concentrations ranging from 500 to 3000 mg/L using Tween 80 as an emulsifier. Mycelial growth inhibition was quantified by measuring radial colony diameter. Results revealed significant dose-dependent antifungal activity across all treatments, with marked variation in efficacy. Cinnamon bark oil demonstrated the highest potency, achieving near-complete inhibition at 3000 mg/L with substantial activity evident even at lower concentrations. Orange oil also exhibited strong inhibitory effects, attaining complete growth suppression at the highest dose. In contrast, moringa and mint oils displayed minimal efficacy across all tested concentrations. The ranking of antifungal potency was established as Cinnamon Bark Oil > Orange Oil > Clove Oil ≈ Eucalyptus Oil > Lemongrass Oil > Mint Oil > Moringa Oil. These findings highlight the potential of cinnamon bark and orange essential oils for further investigation as botanical alternatives for management of tomato Fusarium wilt.