Volume: 5, 2026
5th International PhD Students’ Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: P020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL5.P020
Published online: 22 April 2026
The effect of common tansy (Tanacetum vulgare L.) essential oil on the growth and sporulation of Coletotrihum cocoodes (Wallr.) S. Hughes
Maciej Pietrzniak* and Ewa Zalewska
Department of Vegetable and Herbs, University of Life Sciences in Lublin,54 Doświadczalna St., 20-280 Lublin, Poland
* Corresponding author: maciej.pietrzniak@up.lublin.pl
In recent years, growing interest has been observed in the use of natural biologically active substances in plant protection, resulting from the need to reduce the application of synthetic plant protection products and to seek more environmentally friendly solutions. Particular attention has been paid to essential oils, which, due to the presence of numerous volatile compounds, may exhibit antimicrobial properties, including antifungal activity. One of the plant species with significant biological potential is common tansy (Tanacetum vulgare L.), which is a source of many biologically active compounds showing antibacterial and antifungal properties against numerous pathogenic microorganisms. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of essential oil obtained from the flowers of common tansy (T. vulgare) collected from three different locations against Colletotrichum coccodes, the isolates of which were obtained from dying broccoli plants. In addition, the fungicide Afrodyta 250 SC containing strobilurin derivatives as active substances was included in the study. C. coccodes is a pathogen of considerable economic importance, responsible for diseases of cultivated plant species and for reducing both the quality and quantity of yield.
The experiment was conducted under in vitro conditions using three concentrations of essential oil, i.e. 0.01%, 0.1%, and 0.2%. The appropriate amount of essential oil dissolved in ethanol was added to the cooled agar medium. Analogous variants were prepared with the fungicide. The control consisted of fungal colonies growing on PDA medium without the addition of essential oil or fungicide. The effect of the essential oil on the growth and sporulation of C. coccodes colonies was assessed after 4 and 8 days of fungal growth on the medium supplemented with essential oil or fungicide. For this purpose, colony diameter was measured, and the percentage inhibition of colony growth relative to the control was calculated.
The results demonstrated that common tansy essential oil limited the growth of C. coccodes colonies, and the strength of this effect depended on both the concentration of the essential oil and the origin of the plant material. Essential oils applied at concentrations of 0.1% and 0.2% significantly reduced colony development. The strongest inhibitory effect was observed for the essential oil obtained from plant material collected from the experimental field and applied at a concentration of 0.2%, for which the percentage inhibition of fungal colony growth reached 72.64% and 49.09% after 4 and 8 days of incubation, respectively. In contrast, none of the tested essential oils applied at a concentration of 0.01% caused a significant reduction in fungal colony growth compared with the control colonies. Additionally, microscopic observations revealed the stimulation of pathogen sporulation with increasing concentrations of essential oil in the medium. The obtained results indicate that the source of plant material may influence the biological properties of the essential oil obtained. Furthermore, the findings confirm the potential use of essential oils in limiting agricultural pests and pathogens and may provide a basis for further research on their application in integrated and sustainable plant protection.
Keywords: antifungal activity; common tansy; essential oil
How to cite
Pietrzniak M., Zalewska E., 2026. The effect of common tansy (Tanacetum vulgare L.) essential oil on the growth and sporulation of Coletotrihum cocoodes (Wallr.) S. Hughes. In: 5th International PhD Students’ Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL5.P020