摘要:Seedling diseases caused by fungi are the most widespread and devastating biotic stresses that subsequently affect cotton yield. Interest to the aromatic and medicinal plants has been increasing steadily both in industrial and scientific researches due to their potential in the fields of medicine and plant protection. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of essential oils of some medicinal plants such as Lavandula stoechas Ocimum basilicum, Origanum onites,Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia sclarea and Thymus serpillum against number of pathogenic fungi causing damping-off and seedling root rot of cotton. Results showed that all essential oils except Lavandula stoechas inhibited mycelial growth of Fusarium solani, Macrophomina phaseolina and Rhizoctonia solani ranging from 100 % to 10%. The most effective essential oils were Origanum onites and Thymus serpillum with the doses of 2000 and 2500 ppm. Although these essential oils also provided high germination rates ranging from 85-90 % for cotton seeds in vitro, success could not be confirmed in vivo conditions.