Essential Oils as an Antifungal Alternative to Control Several Species of Fungi Isolated of <i>Musa paradisiaca: </i>Part II

Essential oils from oregano (Origanum vulgare), rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), clove (Syzygium ar-omaticum), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), and basil (Ocimum basilicum) possess antifungal properties. This study aimed to evaluate their ability to inhibit the growth of fungi isolated from the rot of banana peel (Musa paradisiaca) to control or reduce fungal growth in ba-nanas. The methodology involved preparing dilutions of essential oils and inoculating them onto Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium amended with chloramphenicol to prevent bacterial con-tamination. Fungal species, including Trichoderma spp., Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., and Fusarium spp., were isolated, purified, and characterized both macroscopically and microscopically. Their growth was assessed ex vivo and the inhibition percentage was measured in vitro. The ex vivo analysis revealed that the severity of fungal infection, ranked from highest to lowest, was as follows: Penicillium spp., Trichoderma spp., Fusarium spp., and Aspergillus spp. The results showed that rosemary and basil oils did not inhibit fungal growth, while clove oil was effective at 800 ppm, cinnamon at 400 ppm, and oregano at 200 ppm against all four fungi. These findings suggest that certain essential oils, particularly clove, cinnamon, and oregano, have strong antifungal potential and could serve as eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic fungicides in banana postharvest disease management.