EFFECT OF SOME ESSENTIAL OILS FOR LIMITING EARLY BLIGHT (ALTERNARIA SOLANI) DEVELOPMENT IN POTATO FIELD

Abstract: The fungicidal effect of some essential oils against Alternaria solani one of the species that cause early blight of potato was evaluated under in vitro and field conditions. Effect of carnation, caraway, thyme oils and the chemical fungicide Ridomil MZ 72 at various concentrations on mycelial growth of A. solani was tested. Carnation oil had the strongest and most extensive inhibitory effect on fungal growth. Slightly less effective were caraway and thyme oils followed by the chemical fungicide. Extended field trails for two cultivation seasons proved that the application of essential oils twice as foliar spray had a superior effect to the fungicide treatment for reducing the early blight incidence comparing with untreated control. An opposite relationship between the disease incidence and concentrations of applied essential oils was observed. The increase in potato yield also followed the same trend. The highest reduc-tion in disease incidence and yield increase was recorded in treatments with 1 % of carnation, caraway and thyme oils in descending order. Ridomil MZ 72 applied at the dose recommended by manufactories had a low effect in this regard. Essential oils treatments might be used as easily applied, safe and cost effective control methods against such plant diseases. Key words: Early blight; essential oils; control; potat