Asad Balal - Mycology Research Center, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, IranUniversity of Tehran
Aghil Sharifzadeh - Mycology Research Center, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Hojjatollah Shokri - Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran
Alireza Khosravi - Mycology Research Center, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Background and Purpose: Black Cumin of Kerman (Bunium persicum) is an Iranian plant that is commonly used as an antispasmodic, carminative, and antimicrobial substance. The present study aimed to assess different components of the essence of B.persicum and its effect on antifungal activity, spore germination inhibition, and expressions of FUM۱ and FUM۱۴ genes in Fusarium verticillioides strains.Materials and Methods: The essence was extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed through gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. A broth microdilution method was used for the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). In addition, the expression of FUM۱ and FUM۱۴ genes of toxigenic F. verticillioides was assessed byusing the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique.Results: Based on the findings, most of the essence consisted of γ-terpinene (۱۵.۵۶%),propanal, and ۲-methyl-۳-phenyl (۱۴.۱۸%). The oil showed a good antifungal activity(mean MIC value: ۲۵۵۶.۸ μg/ml) as well as the inhibition of spore germination and mycelial growth (P<۰.۰۵). The RT-PCR demonstrated that the expression levels of FUM۱ and FUM۱۴ of B. persicum-treated F. verticillioides were ۰.۴۳ and ۰.۵۳ folds ower than the control samples, respectively.Conclusion: These findings revealed that the essential oil of B. persicum has different components responsible for the inhibition of mycelial growth and spore germination of F. verticillioides as well as reduction of expressions of FUM۱ and FUM۱۴ genes involving fumonisin production.

Antifungal activity, Bunium Persicum, FUM۱ and FUM۱۴ genes, Fusarium verticillioides, real time-PCR