**Biochemical Characterization, Antifungal Activity, and Relative Gene Expression of Two** *Mentha* **Essential Oils Controlling** *Fusarium oxysporum***, the Causal Agent of** *Lycopersicon esculentum* **Root Rot**

**Seham A. Soliman 1, Elsayed E. Hafez 1, Abdu M. G. Al-Kolaibe 2, El-Sayed S. Abdel Razik 1, Sawsan Abd-Ellatif 3, Amira A. Ibrahim 1, Sanaa S. A. Kabeil <sup>4</sup> and Hazem S. Elshafie 5,\***


**Abstract:** Tomato (*Lycopersicon esculentum* Mill.) is important food in daily human diets. Root rot disease by *Fusarium oxysporum* caused huge losses in tomato quality and yield annually. The extensive use of synthetic and chemical fungicides has environmental risks and health problems. Recent studies have pointed out the use of medicinal plant essential oils (EOs) and extracts for controlling fungal diseases. In the current research, *Mentha spicata* and *Mentha longifolia* EOs were used in different concentrations to control *F. oxysporum*. Many active compounds are present in these two EOs such as: thymol, adapic acid, menthol and menthyl acetate. These compounds possess antifungal effect through malformation and degradation of the fungal cell wall. The relative expression levels of distinctly upregulated defense-related WRKY genes (WRKY1, WRKY4, WRKY33 and WRKY53) in seedling root were evaluated as a plant-specific transcription factor (TF) group in different response pathways of abiotic stress. Results showed significant expression levels of WRKY, WRKY53, WRKY33, WRKY1 and WRKY4 genes. An upregulation was observed in defense-related genes such as chitinase and defensin in roots by application EOs under pathogen condition. In conclusion, *M. spicata* and *M. longifolia* EOs can be used effectively to control this plant pathogen as sustainable and eco-friendly botanical fungicides.

**Keywords:** WRKY transcription factor; essential oils; Fusarium root rot; *Mentha spicata*; *Mentha longifolia* GC–MS; antioxidant enzymes; antifungal activity
