Screening of Natural Plant Volatiles to Control the Potato ( Solanum tuberosum ) Pathogens Helminthosporium solani , Fusarium solani , Phoma foveata and Rhizoctonia solani

The potential utility of natural volatiles in various essential oils (EOs) from plants as fumigants to control potato tuber (Solanum tuberosum L.) pathogens was assessed. The antifungal effects of the volatiles at various concentrations were studied at 10 °C both in vitro using conidial suspensions of Helminthosporium solani, Fusarium solani var. coeruleum and Phoma foveata plated on agar, and in vivo by inoculating potato tubers. The effects of the volatiles on the mycelial growth of Rhizoctonia solani were also studied, but only in vitro. Vapours of many of the EOs tested exhibited some fungicidal activity but volatiles of garlic, Allium sativum, were, with few exceptions, most effective on all four pathogens in all experiments. An exposure time of at least 2 weeks was usually required for good control of disease development in vivo. Vapours of A. sativum never stimulated conidial germination, as was observed with some other oils, or damaged tubers, but those of Armoracia rusticana caused tuber collapse. Volatiles from thyme (Thymus vulgaris) EO showed antifungal activity in vitro on all four pathogens, but did not control F. solani, P. foveata or H. solani in vivo. In contrast, sage (Salvia officinalis) EO was ineffective against P. foveata and H. solani in the in vitro system, but controlled disease development in vivo at similar doses. The sometimes conflicting results obtained in the two test systems show that screening in vitro only is insufficient for evaluation of potent antifungal substances to be used in practice.