Inhibitory effect of medicinal plant essential oils on the growth of Penicillium sp. isolated from sweet orange

Today plant sources as substitutes for chemicals in food and drugs have received increasing attention. The use of essential oils and plant extracts can certainly be a good alternative as antimicrobial effects of some plants oils has proven. This study was aimed to determine the antifungal effects of essential oils of thyme, cumin, savory and cloves in different concentrations on Penicillium fungus. The antifungal effects of the medicinal plant (thyme, cumin, savory and cloves) essential oils at concentrations of 250, 500 and 750 µl /L were investigated by pour plate method in potato dextrose agar medium. Fungal growth zone diameter was measured after 8 days at 25 ºC and data were analyzed by MSTAT-C software. The essential oils of all plants at all concentrations had significant antifungal effects as compared to the control. But it decreased with increasing the experiment time. Clove oil at all concentrations and thyme oil in 500 and 750 µl /L concentration had the highest anti-fungal effects. The result showed that thyme and clove essential oils have high inhibition effects against Penicillium sp.