Essential Oils As Antimicrobials in Crop Protection
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antibiotics Review Essential Oils as Antimicrobials in Crop Protection María Alonso-Gato 1 , Gonzalo Astray 1,2,*, Juan C. Mejuto 1 and Jesus Simal-Gandara 3,* 1 Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Vigo–Ourense Campus, E32004 Ourense, Spain; [email protected] (M.A.-G.); [email protected] (J.C.M.) 2 CITACA, Agri-Food Research and Transfer Cluster, University of Vigo, 32004 Ourense, Spain 3 Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical and Food Chemistry, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Vigo–Ourense Campus, E32004 Ourense, Spain * Correspondence: [email protected] (G.A.); [email protected] (J.S.-G.) Abstract: At present, organic crops have reached an important boom in a society increasingly interested in the conservation of the environment and sustainability. It is evident that a part of the population in the Western world focuses their concern on how to obtain our food and on doing it in a way that is as respectful as possible with the environment. In this review, we present a compilation of the work carried out with the use of essential oils as an alternative in the fight against different bacteria and fungi that attack crops and related products. Given the collected works, the efficacy of essential oils for their use as pesticides for agricultural use is evident. Keywords: essential oil; antibacterial; antifungal; crop protection 1. Introduction to Essential Oils Essential oil is a term reserved for those compounds that are defined by the Inter- national Organization for Standardization (ISO) [1] in their ISO 9235 [2]. These kinds of compounds are complex mixtures originated from the secondary metabolism [3,4], pro- duced by the glandular trichomes, and in different secretory structures [4,5]. They can be Citation: Alonso-Gato, M.; Astray, G.; composed by terpenes, associated or not to other components, generally volatile and that Mejuto, J.C.; Simal-Gandara, J. provides an odor to the vegetable [6]. These compounds have (with exceptions) a density Essential Oils as Antimicrobials in lower than water density [5,6] and are usually presented in liquid form [5,6]. Besides, Crop Protection. Antibiotics 2021, 10, 34. https://doi.org/10.3390/ essential oils are hydrophobic compounds, soluble in alcohol (among others) and only a antibiotics10010034 little soluble in water [5]. According to the ISO 9235 from the International Organization for Standardization Received: 20 November 2020 (ISO), the essential oil can be obtained by distillation by any of its variants: hydrodistillation, Accepted: 30 December 2020 steam distillation, or dry distillation and by mechanical processes [2]. Some of these Published: 1 January 2021 distillation methods are widely reported in the literature [7–10], even some variants such as distillation with cohobation [8] have been reported. Because essential oils are responsible Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neu- for the aroma of plants, they are widely known for their use in cosmetics and perfumery, tral with regard to jurisdictional clai- but they are also an important resource in other industrial fields such as pharmaceutical, ms in published maps and institutio- food, among others [1,4,5,11]. Indeed, and according to Turek and Stintzing [1], they are nal affiliations. a viable environmental-friendly alternative in these fields due to their proved capacity as nematicidal [12,13], antimicrobial [14,15], insecticidal [16], antifungal [15,17] or, even, herbicidal and insect repellent [18]. Besides this, essential oils show antioxidant activity (that can be used in edible products or active packaging) [19], anticancer properties [20], Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Li- censee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. and properties for pain or inflammation treatment [21]. This article is an open access article Chemically, essential oils are complex mixtures of more than 100 components [5,11,22], distributed under the terms and con- but they are mainly made up of terpenic compounds [23]. Terpenoids, sometimes called ditions of the Creative Commons At- isoprenoids, are a broad family of natural compounds derived from isoprene [24]. About tribution (CC BY) license (https:// 60% of known natural products are terpenoids [25]. This class of secondary compounds creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ (essential oils) contains different terpenoids such as monoterpenes (C10)[18,26] contain 4.0/). two isoprene units (linear or cyclic [26]) like myrcene, menthol, limonene, or linalool (see Antibiotics 2021, 10, 34. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10010034 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/antibiotics Antibiotics 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 12 [18,26] contain two isoprene units (linear or cyclic [26]) like myrcene, menthol, limonene, or linalool (see Figure 1). Other important components of essential oils are the sesquiter- Antibiotics 2021, 10, 34 2 of 12 penes which consist of three isoprene units (C15) [18,26]. Figure 1 shows some different sesquiterpenes such as patchoulol or nootkatone (see Figure 1). According to the infor- mation reported by Martinez (2003) [11], monoterpenoids are common in the Primulales, FigureRanunculales,1). Other and important Violales orders components (being ofscar essentialcer in other oils different are the sesquiterpenesorders such as Aster- which consistales, Cornales, of three Lamiales, isoprene unitsand Rutales) (C15)[18 and,26 ].sesquiterpenoids Figure1 shows someare mainly different abundant sesquiterpenes in other suchorders as such patchoulol as Asterales, or nootkatone Cornales, (see Magnoliale Figure1).s, According and Rutales to the[11]. information Essential oils reported can also by Martinezcontain diterpenes (2003) [11 ],(as monoterpenoids by-product) [26] are whic commonh are composed in the Primulales, of four isoprene Ranunculales, units -as and Violalesretinal or orders phytol-. (being Finally, scarcer essential in other oils different contain orders other such compounds as Asterales, such Cornales, as aromatic Lamiales, phe- andnols, Rutales) ethers, esters, and sesquiterpenoids alcohols, among are others, mainly which abundant will confer in other the ordersaroma suchand odor as Asterales, of the Cornales,plant [18]. Magnoliales, and Rutales [11]. Essential oils can also contain diterpenes (as by-product)Essential [26 oil] whichcomponents are composed can convert of four without isoprene difficulty units into -as retinaleach other or phytol-. by a different Finally, essentialprocess (cyclization, oils contain isomerization, other compounds oxidation, such as among aromatic other phenols, ways) due ethers, to their esters, structural alcohols, amongrelation others, inside whichthe same will chemical confer thegroup aroma [1]. and odor of the plant [18]. Ascaridole Borneol Camphene Camphor 3-carene Carvacrol Carvone Citronellol Cymene Eucalyptol Hinokitiol Limonene Linalool Menthol Myrcene α-Pinene Sabinene Thymol β-Thujene Umbellulone δ- Cadinene Patchoulol Nootkatone Chamazulene Vetivazulene FigureFigure 1.1. SomeSome monoterpenoids and sesquiterpen sesquiterpenoidsoids presented presented in in essential essential oils. oils. EssentialThe chemical oil components composition can of convert essential without oils depends difficulty on into different each other factors bya such different as processplant’s physiology, (cyclization, climate isomerization, characteristics oxidation, or, even, among soil otherconditions ways) where due to the their plant structural grows relation[3]. According inside theto this, same within chemical the same group plant [1]. species, or even in their different organs, the chemicalThe chemicalcomposition composition may vary of [3]. essential The chemical oils depends composition on different can also factors be influenced such as plant’s by physiology,plant health climateor harvest characteristics time [1]. or, even, soil conditions where the plant grows [3]. AccordingAccording to this, to Montoya within the Cadavid same plant [27], species,around 60 or and even 80 in families their different produce organs, essential the chemicaloils, the largest composition number may grows vary in [tropical3]. The chemicalclimates, compositionalthough they can are also also be found influenced in other by plantclimates, health with or the harvest spermatophytes time [1]. as the main plants that produce essential oils. Essential oils areAccording found in to the Montoya different Cadavid organs [of27 ],the around plant [11,27]: 60 and roots 80 families (e.g., turmeric, produce saffron, essential oils, the largest number grows in tropical climates, although they are also found in other climates, with the spermatophytes as the main plants that produce essential oils. Essential oils are found in the different organs of the plant [11,27]: roots (e.g., turmeric, saffron, ginger, and sandalwood), flowers (e.g., thyme, lavender, arnica, and chamomile), fruits (e.g., laurel, coriander, parsley, or pepper), and in other parts such as seeds or leaves, among others. Antibiotics 2021, 10, 34 3 of 12 2. Essential Oils as Antibacterial and Antifungal Compounds Many secondary metabolites produced by plants can present an important role in their protection against microbes potentially pathogenic [4]. These compounds are a very attractive alternative to many antibiotics due to the bacterial resistance generated to tradi- tional products [4]. An example of this is the use of genus Origanum or Thymus due to their antimicrobial activity. However, many times these studies are only focused on the antibacterial activities and