In Vivo Antiphytoviral and Aphid Repellency Activity of Essential Oils and Hydrosols from Mentha suaveolens and Foeniculum vulgare to Control Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus and Its Vector Aphis gossypii

Abstract

In recent years, natural compounds have gained attention in many fields due to their wide-range biological activity. In particular, essential oils and their associated hydrosols are being screened to control plant pests, exerting antiviral, antimycotic and antiparasitic actions. They are more quickly and cheaply produced and are generally considered safer for the environment and non-target organisms than conventional pesticides. In this study, we report the evaluation of the biological activity of two essential oils and their corresponding hydrosols obtained from Mentha suaveolens and Foeniculum vulgare in the control of zucchini yellow mosaic virus and its vector, Aphis gossypii, in Cucurbita pepo plants. The control of the virus was ascertained with treatments applied either concurrently with or after virus infection; choice tests were performed to verify repellency activity against the aphid vector. The results indicated that treatments could decrease virus titer as measured using real-time RT-PCR, while the experiments on the vector showed that the compounds effectively repelled aphids. The extracts were also chemically characterized using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Mentha suaveolens and Foeniculum vulgare hydrosol extracts mainly comprised fenchone and decanenitrile, respectively, while essential oils analysis returned a more complex composition, as expected.

The Fungicidal Effect of Essential Oils of Fennel and Hops against Fusarium Disease of Pea

“…The survival rate of tomato seedlings increased from 26.6% to 69.8% and 63.3%, respectively, after treatment with Syrian oregano oil and FEO at the highest concentration (3.2 µg/mL) compared to control plants treated with S. sclerotinum spores. The antiviral effect of FEO was also confirmed against courgette yellow mosaic virus and its vector Aphis gossypii [69]. At a concentration of 2000 ppm, HEO inhibited the progression of Fusarium wilt by 43% (DI = 34%) and FEO by 60.4% (DI = 17.3 %), relative to the positive control (DI = 77.7%) (Figure 1).…”

“…The survival rate of tomato seedlings increased from 26.6% to 69.8% and 63.3%, respectively, after treatment with Syrian oregano oil and FEO at the highest concentration (3.2 µg/mL) compared to control plants treated with S. sclerotinum spores. The antiviral effect of FEO was also confirmed against courgette yellow mosaic virus and its vector Aphis gossypii [69].…”

The Effect of Essential Oils from Asteraceae Plants on Behavior and Selected Physiological Parameters of the Bird Cherry-Oat Aphid

“…However, a detailed study on virus transmission needs to be carried out to precisely explore this possibility. It is also worth noting that other mechanisms, such as repellency or direct intoxication of aphids by the essential oil treatment, could play a vital role in the reduction in virus transmission [42].…”

Assessment of toxicological effects of some new plant extracts on cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii

“…Several plant extracts in particular have drawn attention because of the crucial role they play in protecting plants in nature as antibacterials, antivirals, antifungals, insecticides, and insect repellers. For current agricultural systems around the world, it is imperative that a remedy based on a natural substance has properties that are both safe for human health and the environment, effective in controlling plant viruses, and repels their insect vectors (Taglienti et al, 2023). Numerous plant extracts or products have been identified as effective against insect pests, exhibiting properties such as insecticidal, repellent, antifeedant, attractant, ovicidal, oviposition deterrent, growth inhibition In our study, we aimed to develop a sustainable management strategy for controlling A. gossypii larvae using three plant extracts (menthol, costunolide, and ottelione) at varying concentrations.…”