Neste trabalho, objetivou-se avaliar o efeito de extratos e óleos essenciais de quatorze plantas medicinais e ou nativas, conhecidas popularmente no Norte de Minas Gerais, sobre a germinação de esporos e crescimento micelial do fungo Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Foram utilizados no teste de inibição do crescimento micelial, os extratos aquosos de alecrim (Rosmarinus officinalis), erva baleeira (Cordia verbenacea), joá (Solanum sisymbriifolium), quebra-pedra (Phyllanthus corcovadensis), erva botão (Eclipta alba) e açafrão da índia (Curcuma longa) obtidos por meio do processo de infusão; óleo essencial de alecrim de vargem (Família Lamiaceae), alecrim pimenta (Lippia sidoides), alfavaca cravo (Ocimum gratissimum), lippia (Lippia citriodora), goiaba branca (Psidium guajava), capim santo (Cymbopogon citratus); óleo resina de copaíba (Copaifera langsdorffi); hidrolatos de alecrim de vargem, goiaba vermelha (Psidium guajava), lippia, capim santo, goiaba branca, alfavaca cravo; manipueira de (Manihot esculenta). Também foram testados esses mesmos hidrolatos e os óleos essenciais na germinação dos esporos do fungo. Todos os tratamentos foram realizados in vitro, cultivando-se o fungo em meio de cultura BDA acrescido de 100μL dos compostos vegetais. No teste de inibição da germinação, todos os óleos essenciais impediram a germinação do fungo. No entanto, os hidrolatos não tiveram esse efeito. No teste de crescimento micelial, os óleos essenciais de todas as plantas inibiram completamente o crescimento do fungo, exceto o óleo da goiaba branca. Os extratos aquosos, a manipueira, o óleo resina e os hidrolatos, também não foram eficientes sobre o crescimento do patógeno. Esses resultados indicam o potencial antifúngico de alguns óleos essenciais de plantas medicinais.

The fungus Austropuccinia psidii is a major pathogen of Eucalyptus spp. that damages mainly early-stage leaves. Resistant clones are the most widely used control measure for the rust disease caused by A. psidii. Essential oils produced in the plant-host cells are associated with resistance. However, the chemical characteristics of Eucalyptus leaves at different stages of maturity, associated with resistance or susceptibility to A. psidii, need to be determined. The aims of this study were to characterize the chemical composition of essential oils in Eucalyptus leaves at three developmental stages of clones of three E. urophylla × E. grandis hybrids that exhibit different resistance levels to rust and to identify probable resistance-related compounds from them. The rust severity following inoculation and the quantity and quality of the essential oil extracted by hydrodistillation were determined at the first, third, and fifth leaf stages of the three clones. Identification of the compounds present in the essential oil was determined by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. No rust was observed on the three leaf stages of the resistant clone or on the fifth leaf stage of the susceptible clones. Limonene was found at high percentages in essential oils from the three leaf stages of the resistant clone and at low percentages in the susceptible clones. In vitro and in vivo tests indicated that low limonene percentages stimulated A. psidii urediniospore germination and were not fungitoxic, whereas high percentages caused complete inhibition of germination and degenerative changes in fungal reproductive structures. The limonene present in Eucalyptus leaves can be considered a chemical compound related to the rust resistance of Eucalyptus spp.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of essential oils from "hortelã do campo" (Hyptis marrubioides), "alfazema-do-Brasil" (Aloysia gratissima) and "erva-baleeira" (Cordia verbenacea) and their efficacy in the treatment of soybean seeds infected with Colletotrichum truncatum. In vitro assays were performed to evaluate the effects of the oils on spore germination, mycelial growth, and the production and viability of C. truncatum conidia. Soybean seeds inoculated with C. truncatum were treated with essential oils at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 2% and grown under greenhouse conditions. Seed health and germination percentages were evaluated according to standard protocols. Seedling emergence, stand establishment and the percentages of dead seedlings were determined, together with the emergence speed index, plantlet height and dry weight of aerial biomass. The oils from H. marrubioides, C. verbenacea and A. gratissima inhibited the germination and production of conidia as well as the growth of C. truncatum. At concentrations ≥ 1%, the effectiveness of the oils against soybean anthracnose was superior to, or at least comparable with, that of the fungicide carbendazim. The viability of conidia and the germination of soybean seeds were not affected by any of the treatments with essential oils. It is concluded that essential oils from H. marrubioides, A. gratissima and C. verbenacea have potential as alternatives to synthetic fungicides in the control of anthracnose in soybean seeds.