The chemical composition of essential oil isolated from the flowers of
Hosta ventricosa by hydrodistillation was analyzed by GC/MS. Twenty four
compounds were identified, representing 98.12 % of total oil. The oil was found rich
in organic acid (52.66 %). In petriplate bioassay, the essential oil at high concentration
(200mg/m3) significantly inhibited the germination and seedling growth of Raphanus
sativus, Triticum aestivum, Medicago sativa, and Zea mays. While low doses
(25mg/m3) decreased the germination and partially inhibited the seedling growth of all
tested plants.