Herein, we explore the potential use of two micelle-forming block copolymers, i.e., Pluronic F-127 and poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(caprolactone), for application of fungicide agents. The polymer effect on the in vitro fungicide activity of a series of geranyl orcinol derivatives against Botrytis cinerea has been assessed. The results show that, for all test compounds, the incorporation into micelles, formed by Pluronic F-127, produces a great enhancement of the inhibitory effect on the growth of B. cinerea. For some compounds, at the lowest tested concentration (50 ppm), the percentage of inhibition increases significantly (from 0-10 to 80-90%) when the application is made using a polymer solution instead of an ethanol/water mixture. The synthesis and structural determination of a series of eight geranylphenols/diacetates, which were used as fungicide agents, are also discussed. These results suggest that polymer micelles are promising systems for application of crop-protecting agents.
Keywords: Botrytis cinerea; antifungal; linear geranylphenols; polymer micelles; structural determination.