Chemical composition, antibacterial and antifungal activities of Xanthium Strumarium Linn Fruits essential oil against Some Plant Pathogens

The essential oil of Xanthium strumarium fruits was analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Antimicrobial activity was tested against 14 microorganisms including three gram-positive, five gram-negative bacteria and six fungi using the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) technique. Thirty six components were identified representing 97.89% of the total oil. The major constituents of the essential oil were methyl linoleate (40.64%), methyl oleate (13.12%), methyl palmitate (12.43%), and intermedeol (9.68%). The oil showed significant activity against Rathayibacter toxicus with MIC = 25 µg/ml, and Pyricularia oryzae with MIC = 12.5 µg/ml. Our results suggest that this plant may be a potential source of biocide for economical and environmentally friendly disease control strategies. It may also be a good candidate for further biological and pharmacological investigations

Keywords:

Xanthium strumarium Linn , Antibacterial activity , Antifungal effect , Plant pathogens