Effect of extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra, Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Ocimum basilicum on Fusarium graminearum control and expression of essential genes in zearalenone biosynthetic pathway

Fusarium graminearum causes Fusarium head blight, an important disease of cereals that leads to extensive yield and quality loss of wheat. Yield losses results from reduction in the number of kernels and shriveled kernels and grain quality is reduced due to accumulation of mycotoxins. In this study, the effects of ethanolic extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra, Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Ocimum basilicum on F. graminearum growth and the expression of some essential genes in zearalenone biosynthetic pathway were investigated. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were measured and the expression of PKS4, PKS13, FG12056, and FG02398 genes were evaluated by using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) technique. Glycyrrhiza glabra extract had the the lowest MIC value (25 mg/ml) and the extracts of C. zeylanicum and O. basilicum had the highest MIC value (50 mg/ml). Glycyrrhiza glabra extract had the lowest MFC value (50 mg/ml) and the highest fungal property on F. graminearum, and the extracts of C. zeylanicum and O. basilicum had the highest MFC value (100 mg/ml). The expression of PKS4, PKS13, FG12056, and FG02398 genes were significantly decreased by G. glabra extract. The results of this study showed that the G. glabra extract has fungicidal and inhibitory effects on F. graminearum and reduces the expression of essential genes in zearalenone biosynthetic pathway.