Role of botanical plant extracts to control plant pathogens-A review

Agricultural and horticultural crops are spoiled by various fungi causing economic losses, and health risk to the consumers due to mycotoxins produced by fungi. The indiscriminate use of synthetic chemicals led to development of resistance in plants which has necessitated utilization of higher concentrations, with the consequent rise in toxicity in food products. In ecosystem plants are surrounded by various enemies which defend themselves by producing secondary metabolites like terpenes, phenols and nitrogen and sulphur compounds. A new approach to control the pathogens which hampers quality food production has been implemented by the application of plant extract. Various studies have explained that plant extracts contain sundry of bioactive components that can control the fungal growth. The aim of this article is to summarize the results of in vitro experiments from the various literatures regarding the effects of plant-derived compounds for controlling growth of fungi.