Journal of Applied Microbiology ISSN 1364-5072 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Antifungal activity of thyme oil against Geotrichum citri-aurantii in vitro and in vivo X. Liu1, L.P. Wang2, Y.C. Li1, H.Y. Li3,T.Yu1 and X.D. Zheng1 1 Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China 2 Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China 3 Biotechnology Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China Keywords Abstract citrus fruit, Galactomyces citri-aurantii, Geotrichum citri-aurantii, sour rot, thyme oil. Aims: To investigate antifungal effect of thyme oil on Geotrichum citri-aurantii arthroconidia germination and germ tube elongation, to reveal effects of thyme Correspondence oil on morphological structures on fungal hyphae and arthroconidia and to Xiadong Zheng, Department of Food Science assess potential bio-control capacities of thyme oil against disease suppression and Nutrition, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, in vivo conditions. Zhejiang, China. E-mail:
[email protected] Methods and Results: Thyme oil controlled the growth of G. citri-aurantii 2009 ⁄ 0246: received 7 February 2009, effectively. Arthroconidia germination and germ tube elongation in potato )1 revised 11 March 2009 and accepted dextrose broth was greatly inhibited by thyme oil. At 600 lll , it inhibited 12 March 2009 the germination of about 94% of the arthroconidia and the germ tube length was only 4Æ32 ± 0Æ28 lm. Observations using light microscope, scanning elec- doi:10.1111/j.1365-2672.2009.04328.x tron microscope and transmission electron microscope revealed ultrastructural modifications caused by thyme oil that included markedly shrivelled and crinkled hyphae and arthroconidia, plasma membrane disruption and mito- chondrial disorganization.