Screening antibacterial properties of plant extracts against Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri: An In vitro studies

Citrus canker is one of the most devastating disease caused by bacterium Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri. This work was formulated to control this disease by plant extracts. It is reported that may plants posses antimicrobial properties by nature. Hence two weed pants i.e Parthenium hysterophorous and Euphorbia hirta was selected for the work. The aqueous leaf extracts of both the weeds were prepared in six different concentrations and tested for production of zone of inhibition against Xac by disc diffusion method on nutrient agar. The results showed that the zone of inhibition increases with increase in concentration of both the leaf extracts. Among the two weed leaf extracts the maximum mean inhibition (15.13) was shown by P. hysterophorus at 64μl/ml and there was no inhibition produced by low concentration of Euphorbia hirta. Hence from this work it showed that leaf extracts of parthenium showed more inhibition to citrus canker pathogen. It may be concluded that this weed can be used to control the disease and thereby control the weed population.