Bioefficacy of Gaillardia sp. Flower Extracts Against Sclerotium rolfsii and Rhizoctonia bataticola Causing Collar Rot and Dry Root Rot of Chickpea

Laboratory bioassays were carried out to evaluate the antifungal potential of methanolic, acetonic, dichloromethane and distilled sterilized water extract of Gaillardia sp. flower against Sclerotium rolfsii and Rhizoctonia bataticola causing collar rot and dry root rot of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Different concentrations of solvent extracts (250, 500, 750 and 1000 #l) were prepared and their effect against the tested fungal pathogens were tested using poison food technique on potato dextrose agar (PDA). All the tested solvent extracts at various concentrations differ in mycelial growth inhibition of Sclerotium rolfsii and Rhizoctonia bataticola by 5.19 to 65.20% and 0.00 to 55.61, respectively. Maximum mycelial growth inhibition of both the fungal pathogens was observed in distilled water extract at 1000 #l concentration (65.20 and 55.61%, respectively). Distilled water extract was fractioned on thin layer chromatography (TLC) plates using different eluting solvent systems. From all solvent systems, Butanol: Acetic acid: Dichloromethane: Distilled water (30: 10: 15: 5v/v) separated more number of secondary metabolites from distilled water extract of Gaillardia sp. flower. In TLCbioautography none of the separated compound showed prominent activity against both the tested fungal pathogens. These result revealed that ii vitro antifungal activity of distilled water extract Gaillardia sp. flower was due to the synergetic effect of most of the compounds from the extract. The present study concludes that distilled water extract Gaillardia sp. flower possess antifungal activity and can be used for management of S. rolfsii and R. bataticola.