Analysis of Chemical Composition and In Vitro and In Vivo Antifungal Activity of Raphanus raphanistrum Extracts against Fusarium and Pythiaceae, Affecting Apple and Peach Seedlings.

The goal of this investigation was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo efficiency of Raphanus raphanistrum extracts against Fusarium and Pythiaceae species associated with apple and peach seedling decline in Tunisian nurseries. A chemical composition of organic extracts was accomplished using liquid chromatography, thin layer chromatography, and gas chromatography analysis. The in vitro test of three aqueous extract doses of R. raphanistrum against some apple and peach decline agents showed its efficacy in reducing mycelia growth. The in vivo assay of fine powder of this plant on peach seedlings revealed that treatment 8-weeks before the inoculation and planting was more efficient than the treatment before one week. This experiment revealed that the root weight of peach seedlings inoculated by F. oxysporum was improved to 207.29%. For apple seedlings, the treatment 8 weeks before the inoculation and plantation was more efficient than the treatment one week before; it reduced the root browning index. The study of R. raphanistrum chemical composition and its efficiency showed that the glucosinolates products: nitrile (4-Hydroxy-3-(4-methylphenylthio) butane nitrile, benzene acetonitrile, 4-fluoro,butane nitrile, 4-hydroxy-3-[(4-methylphenyl) thio] nitrile), and thiocyanate molecules (thiocyanic acid, ethyle) are responsible for the anti-fungal activities.

Essential oil composition of terminal branches, cones and roots of Tetraclinis articulata from Tunisia.

The volatiles obtained separately from the terminal branches (woody and non-woody), cones and roots of Tetraclinis articulata gathered from the area of Zaghouan (Tunisia) have been analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Remarkable differences were found between the constituent percentages of the different studied organs. The main components in the non-woody branches volatile oil were naphtalen (6.6%), Z-muurolene (29.0%) while Camphene (43.2%), Z-beta-ocimene (11.7%), nonanol (5.3%) and a non identified compound (12%) were the main components in the wood branches volatile concentrate. In the cones oil, the most important compounds found were trans-pinacarveol (6.1%), p-cymene-8-ol (10.4%), fenchyl acetate (5.1%), beta-phellandrene (8.1%) and carvone (5.3%). The major constituent in the oil of roots was found to be Camphene (70.2%). A comparison of these data with previous results reported in the literature showed surprising differences.