Antifungal assessment, synergistic activity and molecular docking studies of essential oils as potential fungal inhibitor candidates against Alternaria alternata

Antifungal assessment, synergistic activity and molecular docking studies of essential oils as potential fungal inhibitor candidates against Alternaria alternata | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Antifungal assessment, synergistic activity and molecular docking studies of essential oils as potential fungal inhibitor candidates against Alternaria alternata Khaoula CHATTAT, Rachid AZENZEM, Amal Sammama, Nada FANJAOUI, and 3 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6679362/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 04 Feb, 2026 Read the published version in European Journal of Plant Pathology → Version 1 posted 6 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The management of plant pathogens has become a challenge due to increasing pesticide resistance. Recent studies have focused on developing alternatives to chemical pesticides, enabling effective control of crop pathogens with reduced environmental impact and minimal effects on human health. This study examines the chemical composition and the antifungal activity of four essential oils extracted from Origanum compactum , Thymus leptobotrys , Laurus nobilis , and Rosmarinus officinalis in individual and combined forms against Alternaria alternata causal agent of olive leaf diseases. The most potent inhibitors of A. alternata were oregano and Thyme essential oils, distinguished by the predominance of carvacrol (59% and 75.05%), respectively. Furthermore, essential oil combinations such as oregano/thyme and oregano/thyme/laurel reduced the MIC values and showed synergistic effects (FICI ≤ 0.5). In silico analysis by molecular docking was performed to study the anticipated ligands of these essential oils against Ubiquitin E3 Ligase responsible for H2B monoubiquitination in Alternaria alternata . These results suggest that, as part of the search for sustainable ways to reduce fungicide use in agriculture, essential oils, combinations, and even chemical compounds may be effective against Alternaria alternata . Alternaria alternata essential oils mixtures synergism ubiquitin E3 ligase Molecular docking Olea europea Full Text Supplementary Files Highlights1.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 04 Feb, 2026 Read the published version in European Journal of Plant Pathology → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Major revisions 17 Jul, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 09 Jun, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 02 Jun, 2025 Editor invited by journal 26 May, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 23 May, 2025 First submitted to journal 22 May, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6679362","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":465412773,"identity":"f68e835e-d837-4589-bf67-4e720e598ca2","order_by":0,"name":"Khaoula CHATTAT","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"National Institute of Agronomic Research: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Khaoula","middleName":"","lastName":"CHATTAT","suffix":""},{"id":465412774,"identity":"7bf52ef9-f5d8-4729-8aa7-0adfa5a78a27","order_by":1,"name":"Rachid AZENZEM","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"National Institute of Agronomic Research: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Rachid","middleName":"","lastName":"AZENZEM","suffix":""},{"id":465412775,"identity":"7ee2ac4b-c19f-49ff-9ac5-9e524614f5a5","order_by":2,"name":"Amal Sammama","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"National Institute of Agronomic Research: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Amal","middleName":"","lastName":"Sammama","suffix":""},{"id":465412776,"identity":"1b548827-a6c8-4a0b-a9fe-25a33963f017","order_by":3,"name":"Nada FANJAOUI","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"National Institute of Agronomic Research: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nada","middleName":"","lastName":"FANJAOUI","suffix":""},{"id":465412777,"identity":"b8080551-4cdc-438e-a2ca-91fedb7f424b","order_by":4,"name":"Lahcen OUAHMANE","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Cadi Ayyad University Faculty of Sciences Semlalia: Universite Cadi Ayyad Faculte des Sciences Semlalia","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Lahcen","middleName":"","lastName":"OUAHMANE","suffix":""},{"id":465412778,"identity":"e85b106b-11c4-415e-82bc-068da7b6f5af","order_by":5,"name":"Tayeb KOUSSA","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Chouaib Doukkali University Faculty of Sciences: Universite Chouaib Doukkali Faculte des Sciences","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tayeb","middleName":"","lastName":"KOUSSA","suffix":""},{"id":465412779,"identity":"8267f565-d2d8-4f07-9e01-b0f6aeab2523","order_by":6,"name":"Mohamed Najib ALFEDDY","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5077-0113","institution":"National Institute for Agronomic Research","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mohamed","middleName":"Najib","lastName":"ALFEDDY","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-05-16 09:28:24","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6679362/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6679362/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-026-03186-6","type":"published","date":"2026-02-04T15:58:14+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":102234966,"identity":"6320bb16-f382-49c1-8889-31cbe6241cba","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-09 16:14:27","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1508025,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ArticleCHATTATetalEJP.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6679362/v1_covered_013adefe-aefb-4215-a42c-09bc9191dd57.pdf"},{"id":84096191,"identity":"451ec02b-8a24-4812-bb9d-2eb1eaf1f724","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-06 17:36:48","extension":"docx","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":15414,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Highlights1.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6679362/v1/44c15a30954575646549970e.docx"}],"financialInterests":"","formattedTitle":"Antifungal assessment, synergistic activity and molecular docking studies of essential oils as potential fungal inhibitor candidates against Alternaria alternata","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":true,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"european-journal-of-plant-pathology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"ejpp","sideBox":"Learn more about [European Journal of Plant Pathology](http://link.springer.com/journal/10658)","snPcode":"10658","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/ejpp/default2.aspx","title":"European Journal of Plant Pathology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Alternaria alternata, essential oils mixtures, synergism, ubiquitin E3 ligase, Molecular docking, Olea europea","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6679362/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6679362/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe management of plant pathogens has become a challenge due to increasing pesticide resistance. Recent studies have focused on developing alternatives to chemical pesticides, enabling effective control of crop pathogens with reduced environmental impact and minimal effects on human health. This study examines the chemical composition and the antifungal activity of four essential oils extracted from \u003cem\u003eOriganum compactum\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThymus leptobotrys\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eLaurus nobilis\u003c/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eRosmarinus officinalis\u003c/em\u003e in individual and combined forms against \u003cem\u003eAlternaria alternata\u003c/em\u003e causal agent of olive leaf diseases. The most potent inhibitors of \u003cem\u003eA. alternata\u003c/em\u003e were oregano and Thyme essential oils, distinguished by the predominance of carvacrol (59% and 75.05%), respectively. Furthermore, essential oil combinations such as oregano/thyme and oregano/thyme/laurel reduced the MIC values and showed synergistic effects (FICI\u0026thinsp;\u0026le;\u0026thinsp;0.5). \u003cem\u003eIn silico\u003c/em\u003e analysis by molecular docking was performed to study the anticipated ligands of these essential oils against Ubiquitin E3 Ligase responsible for H2B monoubiquitination in \u003cem\u003eAlternaria alternata\u003c/em\u003e. These results suggest that, as part of the search for sustainable ways to reduce fungicide use in agriculture, essential oils, combinations, and even chemical compounds may be effective against \u003cem\u003eAlternaria alternata\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Antifungal assessment, synergistic activity and molecular docking studies of essential oils as potential fungal inhibitor candidates against Alternaria alternata","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-06-06 17:36:43","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6679362/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Major revisions","date":"2025-07-17T22:44:06+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"","date":"2025-06-09T17:08:32+00:00","index":0,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-06-02T17:24:51+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"European Journal of Plant Pathology","date":"2025-05-26T07:21:00+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-05-23T05:55:19+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"European Journal of Plant Pathology","date":"2025-05-22T05:48:31+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"european-journal-of-plant-pathology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"ejpp","sideBox":"Learn more about [European Journal of Plant Pathology](http://link.springer.com/journal/10658)","snPcode":"10658","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/ejpp/default2.aspx","title":"European Journal of Plant Pathology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"60ef9c7f-9f8d-4dc4-87c0-514e33495d15","owner":[],"postedDate":"June 6th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-02-09T16:09:42+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-6679362","link":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-026-03186-6","journal":{"identity":"european-journal-of-plant-pathology","isVorOnly":false,"title":"European Journal of Plant Pathology"},"publishedOn":"2026-02-04 15:58:14","publishedOnDateReadable":"February 4th, 2026"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-06-06 17:36:43","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1007/s10658-026-03186-6","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-026-03186-6","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6679362","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6679362","identity":"rs-6679362","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}