Agricultural Science Digest
SCOPUS
  • Year: 2026
  • Volume: 46
  • Issue: 3

In vitro Antifungal Efficacy of Some Plant Extracts against Fungal Pathogens Causing Diseases in Solanaceous Crops

  • Author:
  • S. Saha1, T.F. Yesmin2, A. Sarma1, C. Mili3, P.K. Mishra2, K. Tayung1,*
  • Total Page Count: 7
  • Page Number: 512 to 518

1Department of Botany, Mycology and Plant Pathology Laboratory, Gauhati University, Guwahati-781 014, Assam, India.

2Department of Botany, B.N. College, Dhubri-783 324, Assam, India.

3Department of Botany, B.P. Chaliha College, Kamrup-781 127, Assam, India.

*Corresponding Author: K. Tayung, Department of Botany, Mycology and Plant Pathology Laboratory, Gauhati University, Guwahati-781 014, Assam, India. Email: kumanand@gauhati.ac.in

Abstract

This research aimed to assess the antifungal potential of oil and organic leaf extracts obtained from Ocimum gratissimum, Kopsia fruticosa and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis against fungal pathogens affecting solanaceous crops.

Oil of O. gratissimum was obtained by hydro-distilled method using Clevenger apparatus. Leaf extracts of K. fruticosa and H. rosa-sinensis were extracted using three organic solvents namely hexane, ethanol and methanol. The antifungal activity of the oil and organic leaf extracts against the test fungal pathogens was determined by the agar well diffusion method. The efficacy of the oil and organic leaf extracts against the pathogens was evaluated by their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), ability to inhibit spore germination and growth kinetic assay.

The oil of O. gratissimum (1000 ppm) significantly inhibited the growth of Cercospora capsici (81.4%), Alternaria alternata (73.7%) and Fusarium oxysporum (68.7%). Hexane extract of K. fruticosa and methanol extract of H. rosa-sinensis (1500 μg/well) displayed strong antifungal activity against Colletotrichum acutatum with inhibition percentages of 75.9% and 82.4% respectively. Similarly, ethanol extract of K. fruticosa and methanol extract of H. rosa-sinensis showed effective inhibition against C. capsici and A. alternata. The oil of O. gratissimum showed MIC values of 50, 100 and 200 μg/mL against C. capsici, A. alternata and F. oxysporum respectively. Ethanol extract of K. fruticosa showed MIC values ranging from 100 to 350 μg/mL, while H. rosa-sinensis methanol extract displayed MIC values ranging from 50 to 200 μg/mL against the fungal pathogens. The oil extract also demonstrated strong inhibition of spore germination of the test fungi. Our study suggests the potential of plant-derived essential oils and extracts as effective antifungal agents for crop protection.

Keywords

Antifungal activity, Phytopathogenic fungi, Plant diseases, Plant extracts