Botrytis cinerea, commonly known as gray mold, is a necrotrophic fungus that causes billions of dollars in agricultural damage every year. It spreads as spores, either carried in the air or by contact. Essential oils are a natural source of fungistatic and fungicidal compounds which exert their action by contact or in the vapor phase. The morphological changes accompanying exposure of B. cinerea to Tea Tree oil and its components have been well documented; mechanistic details regarding its action are not as clear. A methoxy derivative of Terpinen-4-ol was prepared which does not display anti-fungal activity. This was interpreted to mean that Terpinin-4-ol uncouples oxygen consumption from ATP production in the same manner as FCCP (Carbonylcyanide-p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone) and DNP (2,4-Dinitrophenol).

Inhibition of Botrytis cinerea with Terpinen-4-ol

255th National Meeting (2018)

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