Evaluation of Lawsonia inermis Leaf Extracts for Their in vitro Fungitoxicity Against Certain Soilborne Pathogens

Screening of Lawsonia inermis leaf extracts for their fungitoxicity was carried out in vitro against some selected soil-borne phytopathogens, Rhizoctonia solani. Pythium aphanidermatum and Macrophomina phaseolina. Of the three solvent extracts studied, cold-water extract at 10% concentration showed a maximum of 70% inhibition of the mycelial growth of R. solani. Methanol extract at 2.5% concentration completely inhibited P. aphanidermatum while the same at 10% proved effective against M. phaseolina by 60% when compared to cold water and petroleum ether extracts. Petroleum ether extract was ineffective against R. solani and M. phaseolina. The amount of total phenols was 4.5 mg/g of fresh leaf tissue. Reverse phase high performance liquid chromatographic analysis of the cold-water extracts revealed the presence of four different absorption peaks of which only two compounds could be identified i.e. tannic acid and catechol.