Antifungal Efficacy Of Essential Oils Against Wood-Degrading Fungi: A Strategy For Environmentally Sustainable Wood Preservation

Objectives Wood-degrading fungi are critical agents of biodeterioration, inflicting structural damage on woody products and resulting in substantial economic losses. The growing demand for eco-friendly antifungal methods has sparked interest in utilizing plant-derived essential oils from plants as renewable biological agents. This study aimed to assess the antifungal efficacy of certain essential oils against wood-decaying fungi. Material and methods Five fungal strains were isolated from rotten wood samples and identified morphologically. The efficacy of these isolated fungal strains to produce cellulases were tested and the highly cellulase producer was molecularly identified. The antifungal activity of various essential oils was assessed by measuring the percentage of growth inhibition. Wood pieces coated with the tested essential oils were artificially infected with the most cellulase producer for evaluating their protective potential and the enzyme activity was quantitatively determined. Results The isolated fungal strains were morphologically identified as Neurospora sp., Rhizopus sp., Alternaria sp., Penicillium sp., and Aspergillus sp. Among these strains, Neurospora sp. showed high performance in cellulase production and molecularly identified as Neurospora crassa. The results demonstrated that essential oils exhibited varying degrees of antifungal activity. Cinnamon oil demonstrated the highest level of antifungal efficacy against all isolated fungal strains. Licorice oil and garlic oil exhibited a notable antifungal effect on the growth of Neurospora crassa. In contrast, the inhibition of fungal growth in media supplemented with jojoba oil wasn’t significant. Artificial infection with the most aggressive wood rot fungus (Neurospora crassa) of wood pieces treated with essential oils showed significant limitation in their growth, particularly licorice and cinnamon oils. This effect is ensured by qualitative determination of cellulase production by Neurospora crassa. Conclusion These findings highlight the potential of essential oils as environmentally sustainable solutions to control wood-decaying fungus and mitigate wood deterioration. Their inhibitory effects on fungal growth and cellulolytic activity endorse their application as eco-friendly alternatives to conventional chemical methods.