In vitro efficacy of Acorus calamus against major soil borne pathogens under different solvent systems

Antifungal potential of dried powder of rhizome of Acorus calamus was evaluated in vitro against Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotium rolfsii, Fusarium solani, F. oxysporum and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum with different solvent systems. Methanol and ethanol extracts of A. calamus caused complete inhibition of the mycelial growth of R. solani and S. rolfsii at 500 ppm while S. sclerotiorum was completely inhibited at 1000 ppm in methanol extract. Whereas, acetone and petroleum ether extracts inhibited R. solani at 250 ppm and S. rolfsii at 500 ppm, respectively. Petroleum ether extract arrested the growth of S. sclerotiorum completely at 500 ppm. None of the solvent extracts could inhibit F. solani and F. oxysporum completely even at 1000 ppm but resulted up to 90 per cent and > 60 per cent inhibition in their mycelial growth at 1000 ppm, respectively. Methanol and ethanol extracts were found highly effective causing upto 82 per cent inhibition of pathogens than petroleum ether with 78 per cent and acetone with 74 per cent inhibition of test pathogens. On the basis of overall inhibition of mycelial growth, the sensitivity of pathogens to organic extracts of dried powder of A. calamus was in the order of R. solani > S. rolfsii > S. sclerotiorum > F. solani > F. oxysporum.