Thyme essential oil as a defense inducer of tomato against gray mold and Fusarium wilt

• Thyme oil highly reduced 64% of gray mold incidence in tomato plants.
• Thyme oil reduced Fusarium wilt severity to 30.76% in tomato plants grown in hydroponic system.
• Thyme oil induced plant defense system which was mostly attributed to peroxidases accumulation.
• Thyme oil seems to be more effective when applied to the roots.

The potential of thyme essential oil in controlling gray mold and Fusarium wilt and inducing systemic acquired resistance in tomato seedlings and tomato grown in hydroponic system was evaluated. Thyme oil highly reduced 64% of Botrytis cinerea colonization on pretreated detached leaves compared to untreated control. Also, it played a significant decrease in Fusarium wilt severity especially at7 days post treatment when it was reduced to 30.76%. To explore the plant pathways triggered in response to thyme oil, phenolic compounds accumulation and peroxidase activity was investigated. Plant response was observed either after foliar spray or root feeding in hydroponics which was mostly attributed to peroxidases accumulation rather than phenolic compounds accumulation, and thyme oil seems to be more effective when applied to the roots.

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