Effect of essential oils of cinnamon, clove, lemon grass, oregano and palmarosa on growth of and fumonisin B1 production by Fusarium verticillioides in maize

The ability of cinnamon, clove, lemon grass, oregano and palmarosa essential oils to prevent growth of and fumonisin B1 (FB1) production by Fusarium verticillioides at different water activity (0.95 and 0.995 aw) and temperature (20 and 30 °C) levels in irradiated maize grain was evaluated. All the essential oils inhibited growth of F verticillioides isolates under all conditions tested, but FB1 production was only inhibited at 30 °C and 0.995 aw. Moreover, stimulation of toxin production was found under certain environmental conditions. None of the essential oils showed a significantly greater ability to inhibit FB1 production when compared with the others. At 1000 mg essential oil kg-1 maize the essential oils showed a greater inhibitory effect on growth of F verticillioides than at 500 mg kg^1, but there was no difference in FB1 production between the two levels of essential oil.