BASIL, THYME, AND OREGANO ESSENTIAL OILS AS AGENTS FOR COMBATING PHYTOPATHOGENIC FUNGI – A REVIEW

Abstract

Essential oils are defined as aromatic oily liquids obtained from different parts of plants. They are often responsible for the distinctive smell or taste of a plant. Many of these oils, through their components (carvacrol, thymol, eugenol), exhibit antibacterial and antifungal activity. Being environmentally friendly compounds, they can be successfully used as biopesticides, either individually or in combination. This study is a literature review concerning the chemical composition and antifungal activity of basil, thyme, and oregano oils on phytopathogenic fungi from the genera Aspergillus, Botrytis, Fusarium, and Penicillium