Antifungal activity of Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oils and changes in volatile compound composition under abiotic stress conditions

There is an increasing need for natural compounds pest control and food preservation in agriculture, dairy industries. To satisfy this need, essential oils (EOs) from aromatic plants can serve as flavors, preservatives ecofriendly pesticides. This study investigated the potential of different EOs field-collected leaves fourteen Zataria multiflora Boiss. populations representing three chemotypes (carvacrol, thymol linalool) to inhibit a broad spectrum fungal pathogens important industry agriculture relationship between total leaf elements concentration compounds. Furthermore, greenhouse experiment was performed elucidate effects heat stress (33 °C vs. 20 °C), drought (50 % reduced irrigation), ultraviolet light intensity (3, 6 9 W m−2 UV-A radiation) on relative content specific volatile The results indicated that low concentrations carvacrol thymol, but not linalool chemotype significantly growth pre- postharvest Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, Fusarium sambucinum, culmorum, Alternaria dauci Botrytis cinerea (thymol/carvacrol EOs: 0.8−1 μL, 4 μL). analyses revealed further significant correlations mineral Z. amounts EO antifungal activity. Abiotic stresses, particularly interaction heat, induced changes resulting higher (22.7 32.9 1.5 %), while alone did influence amount main (carvacrol 1.7 %). slightly chemotype, when were subjected high intensities radiation (33.9 44.6 whilst increased (20.1 9%). Moreover, change response abiotic stresses. Understanding effect environmental conditions plant development helps fully exploiting source sustainable fungicides or insecticides.