Essential Oils from Two Apiaceae Species as Potential Agents in Organic Crops Protection.

Chemical composition and herbicidal, antifungal, antibacterial and molluscicidal activities of essential oils from Choukzerk, , and Alexander, , from western Algeria were characterized. Capillary GC-FID and GC/MS were used to investigate chemical composition of both essential oils, and the antifungal, antibacterial, molluscicidal and herbicidal activities were determined by % inhibition. Collective essential oil of was dominated by falcarinol (74.8%) and octane (5.6%). The collective essential oil of was dominated by furanoeremophilone (31.5%), furanodiene+curzurene (19.3%) and (E)-β-caryophyllene (11%). The oil was tested and a pure falcarinol (99%) showed virtuous herbicidal and antibacterial activities against potato blackleg disease, , and Gram-negative soil bacterium, (85 and 100% inhibition, respectively), and high ecotoxic activity against brine shrimp, , and the freshwater snail, , with an IC of 0.35 µg/mL and 0.61 µg/mL, respectively. Essential oil of showed interesting antibacterial and ecotoxic activity and good herbicidal activity against watercress seeds, (74% inhibition of photosynthesis, 80% mortality on growth test on model watercress), while the furanoeremophilone isolated from the oil (99% pure) showed moderate herbicidal activity. Both oils showed excellent antifungal activity against . Both oils and especially falcarinol demonstrated good potential as new biocontrol agents in organic crop protection.