Anti-Fungal Evaluation of Calotropis Leaf Extract against Some Plant Pathogenic Fungi

Four forms of Calotropis leaf extracts viz., crude (10%), powder (10%), boil (10%) and ethanol (1%) were screened for antifungal activity against ten test fungal pathogens by poisoned food technique. All the form significantly inhibited the growth of the test fungus. The antifungal activity of boil extract @ 10% was found more effective than powder, crude and ethanol extracts against seven fungal pathogens viz. Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceri, Rhizoctonia solani, R. bataticola, Colletotrichum gleosporioides, Tolyposporium penicillariae, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum ad Phoma sorghina. For the control of Fusarium oxysporium f.sp. pallidoroseum, and Sclerotium rolfsii, the powdered form of Calotropis leaf extract was found more effective. It was observed that the effectivity of boiled, powdered and ethanol extract against the respective pathogenic fungi was gradually increased with the increase in the concentration from 5 to 20%. They are further compared with chemicals viz., carbendazim (0.1%) and mancozeb (0.2%), it was observed that both the chemicals were found more effective than the Calotropis leaf extract (boiled/crude/powder/ethanol). Therefore higher concentration of different forms of Calotropis leaf extract should be tested under in vitro condition and the effective one may also be tested in the field as an alternative to the chemical for the eco-friendly management of the disease.