Effect of aqueous extracts of medicinal plants on growth of Fusarium moniliforme var subglutinans Wollenw. and Reinking.

Abstract

The growth of Fusarium moniliforme var subglutinans Wollenw. and Reinking was evaluated in chloramphenicol potato dextrose agar (cPDA) containing 20 %aqueous extractsof eight medicinal plants. Mycelia growth, was reduced in unautoclaved extracts of Cassia alata, Baphia nitida, Euphorbia hirta, Vernonia amygdalina, Azadirachta indica, and Zingiber officinale, with B. nitida, V. amygdalina, and C. alata, being the most effective. On the contrary, the unautoclaved extract of Cyathula prostrata did not affect the growth of the fungus. The antifungal activities of B. nitida, A. indica, E. hirta, Z. officinale, and C. alata were affected by autoclave treatment. Unautoclaved extracts of C. alata, B. nitida, A. indica, V. amygdalina, A. cordifolia, E. hirta and Z. officinale significantly (p£0.05) reduced the dry weight of the fungus below the control. Autoclaving the extracts affected the fungitoxic activities of C. alata, B. nitida, and V. amygdalina, on the dry weight of the fungus. Sporulation was completely inhibited in cPDA medium amended with unautoclaved extracts of C. alata, B. nitida, A. indica, V. amygdalina and Z. officinale. However all the autoclaved extracts supported sporulation of the fungus. Conidia germination in full strength (w/v, 1:1) extracts was completely inhibited, whereas 90 % of the conidia germinated in sterile deionised water after 6 h of incubation. These findings suggest the potential role of the extracts in controlling the fungus.


Keywords: Fusarium moniliforme var subglutinans, medicinal plants, aqueous extracts, in vitro growth inhibition.

[Global Jnl Agric Res Vol.2(1) 2003: 9-16]