Control of Phytopathogens in Agriculture by Essential Oils

Abstract

The excessive adoption of synthetic pesticides in agricultural systems threatens the integrity and sustainable stability of the production chain. Nevertheless, the emergence of new pests and the resistance of a range of species to chemicals establish the necessity to adopt serious measures to preserve a safe status and eco-friendly approach. Correspondingly, essential oils (EOs) are attractive bioproducts extracted from a range of plant species that present essentially antimicrobial properties. The investigation and application of these materials for many industries have been widely encouraged in recent years. Many EOs demonstrate promising potential for application to the control of severe phytopathogens that cause serious damage in agricultural systems. Hence, the use of these bioproducts as efficient antimicrobials in modern agriculture is challenging and has been progressively investigated. Appropriately, the current chapter will describe the advantages of the employment of EOs to the phytopathogens management considering the agriculture approach. Moreover, the chapter presents relevant information about the main properties, strategies for essential oils extraction, and application of these bioproducts to the control of a range of high damage potential phytopathogens. In conclusion, the main challenges and future outlooks regarding the application of EOs in the phytopathogens control perspectives will be appointed.