Phytochemical profile and antifungal action of Anadenanthera colubrina extract on the quality of maize seeds

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) is among the most cultivated crops in the world and can be affected by several diseases, especially those transmitted by seeds. The study of alternatives to fungicides used for seed treatment has a promising field in essential oils. Thus, this study determined the phytochemical profile of the ethanolic extract from Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan and to evaluate its antifungal activity on the sanitary and physiological quality of maize seeds. The seeds used were of the Jaboatão cultivar, which were submitted to the following treatments: control (untreated seeds), commercial fungicide (dicarboximide) and A. colubrina extract at 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1,000 ppm. The seeds were subjected to sanitary and germination tests in a completely randomized experimental design. Phytochemical prospecting of A. colubrina extract indicated the presence of alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids and saponins, as well as the major compounds lupeol, gallic acid, ferulic acid, catechin and quercetin. The A. colubrina extract reduced the incidence of Aspergillus spp., including Aspergillus niger, Alternaria spp., Curvularia spp. and Fusarium spp. at all concentrations. The highest concentrations (800 and 1,000 ppm) of the A. colubrina extract reduced the incidence of Penicillium spp. and yielded an effective control of Rhizoctonia spp. The extract of A. colubrina did not present phytotoxic effect, guaranteeing the viability and vigor of maize seeds.

Cinnamon extract and sodium hypochlorite in the in vitro control ofFusarium oxysporumf. sp.lycopersiciandAlternaria alternatafrom tomato

“…Despite the conventional chemical control, disease control should be understood as a permanent practice of integrated measures aimed not only at disease control, but also disease prevention measures, especially at levels that may result in damage (Lopes & Ávila, 2005). Thus, the exploration of the biological activity of secondary compounds present in the crude extract or essential oil of medicinal plants, may constitute a potential alternative control (Carmello & Cardoso, 2018; Medeiros et al, 2021). Plants have a metabolism capable of producing numerous chemical substances for plant defence, also called secondary metabolites (Cardoso et al, 2019), which raises the possibility of discovering new substances with antifungal potential, products also called botanical fungicides (Cardoso & Carmello, 2022).…”