Abstract

ROJAS FERNANDEZ, Miriam M. et al. Antibacterial activity of esential oils against pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum. Rev. Protección Veg. [online]. 2014, vol.29, n.3, pp. 197-203. ISSN 1010-2752.

The essential oils have been considered an important alternative to sustainable management of pests in agriculture due to their recognized antimicrobial activity against several pests of important economic crops. The aim of this study was to identify the potential of essential oils of Thymus vulgaris L., Pimpinella anisum L., Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck., Ocimum basilicum L., Curcuma longa L., Ruta chalepensis L. and Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav) S.T. Blake as candidates for the development of new antibacterials. Essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger- type equipment and their biological evaluation against Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Jones) Waldee emends. Hauben et al. was carried out by agar diffusion method. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the most active essential oil was carried out by the serial dilution method and its chemical composition was determined by GC / MS. The MIC and MBC of the main compound from the most active essential oil were determined by the serial dilution method. Among the tested oils, anise and white basil essential oils showed weak activity, whereas the essential oil of thyme showed strong antibacterial activity against the evaluated bacteria (MIC = MBC = 0.1%). The chemical composition of the oils was characterized by the prevalence of monoterpenoid and sesquiterpenoid compounds. Thymol was the main constituents (57.0%), followed by p-cimene (14.7%) and g- terpinene (14.1%). It exhibited strong antibacterial activity against P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (MIC = MBC = 0.2%). The results obtained pointed to the essential oil of thyme as a promising active ingredient for developing new pesticides for the control of P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum in crops of economic importance.

Keywords : essential oils; Thymus vulgaris; thymol; p-cimene; ã- terpinene; Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )