EVALUATION OF A BIOPESTICIDE CONTAINING ESSENTIAL OILS FROM OCIMUM GRATISSIMUM L., CYMBOPOGON CITRATUS L., AND ZINGIBER OFFICINALE ROSCOE, AND PROPICONAZOLE, ON THE GROWTH OF STRAINS OF SPORISORIUM SCITAMINEUM, THE CAUSATIVE AGENT OF SMUT DISEASE, COLLECTED IN COTE DIVOIRE

Sugarcane is a tropical plant cultivated for its sugar. It is an important crop in Cote dIvoire, where it is used for the production of sugar, ethanol, and other byproducts. Despite its contribution to the countrys economy, its cultivation is subject to numerous biological constraints that limit its production. Among these threats is charcoal disease. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of essential oils (Ocimum gratissimum L., Cymbopogon citratus L., and Zingiber officinale Roscoe) compared to the fungicide propiconazole on the life cycle of S. scitamineum in order to identify the doses that could help control charcoal disease. The various essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger apparatus for 3 hours. The oils were subsequently stored in a refrigerator at a temperature of 12C. Four doses of essential oil and synthetic fungicide-50, 100, 400, and 1000 ppm-were tested. During this study, the effect of the oils and synthetic fungicide on mycelial growth, spore production activity, and teliospore germination was evaluated. At the conclusion of this study, it should be noted that the essential oils of Ocimum gratissimum, Cymbopogon citratus, and Zingiber officinale offer real potential for controlling sugarcane smut in Cote dIvoire.