Macrophomina phaseolina is a soil and seed borne fungal pathogen that causes root rot disease in more than 500 plant species but no registered fungicide is available for its control. Recently, application of essential oils has been accepted as a novel control method. The present study was carried out to investigate the antifungal activity of essential oil of Mentha piperita on growth, morphology and pectinase activity of M. phaseolina. Growth rate decreases with increasing concentration of the essential oil. No growth was observed at concentrations of more than 1000 ppm. Also, increasing essential oil concentration changes in the morphology and structure of M. phaseolina. In the case of enzyme activity, the essential oil reduced pectinase activity but over time, the effect of essential oil decreased. The results of this evaluation indicated that the essential oil was capable of reducing fungal growth and pectinase activity.

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