Antifungal activity of the essential oil of Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) ST against some pathogenic fungi of mango (Mangifera indica L.)

Abstract

In Senegal, mango is the most important fruit crop. It plays also a major role in exportation of the fruit and vegetables. Mango production faces however many phytosanitary problems. In fact, the mango tree is susceptible to a number of diseases at all stages of its development from planting to fruit. The control of mango diseases is essentially based on the use of chemical pesticides that have a negative impact on both the environment and human and animal health. In this context, a more popular trend consists with the use of environment friendly products as alternatives to chemical pesticides. In this study, the antifungal activity of the essential oil of leaves of Melaleuca quiquenervia on pathogenic fungi isolated from mango was explored and its composition analyzed. The essential oil showed a good antifungal activity with the highest mycelial inhibition rate (83.72±3.74%) with Lasiodiplodia theobromae at 10000ppm. With Fusarium sp. and Pestalotia sp., the inhibition rates reached 74.70±3.67 and 69.45±26.48 respectively at 10000ppm. The major components of Melaleuca essential oil were 1.8-cineole (42.87%), viridiflorol (11.75%), limonene (10.11%), α-pinene (8.74%), α-terpineol (6.94%) and nerolidol (3.37%).