FUNGICIDAL POTENTIAL OF ALLELOPATHIC WEED Cenchrus pennisetiformis ON GROWTH OF Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici UNDER CHROMIUM STRESS

Abstract

The present study was conducted to assess antifungal potential of the allelopathic grass Cenchrus pennisetiformis Hochst. & Steud. against the fungal plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (cause of tomato wilt disease) under chromium stress. Laboratory experiments were performed in 10 mL volume glass test tubes each containing 1.0 mL of malt extract broth with seven concentrations (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300 and 350 ppm) of each of Cr(III) and Cr(VI), and two concentrations (5% and 6%) of methanolic leaf, stem or root extract of C. pennisetiformis. A metal + weed extract amended medium was inoculated with the pathogen and incubated for 7 days at 25 C. Different concentrations of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) proved equally inhibitory resulting in 10-84% and 18-89% reduction in fungal biomass, respectively. Methanolic leaf, stem and root extracts of the weed reduced fungal biomass by 12-25%, 14-23% and 46-50%, respectively, over negative control. In combined application of methanolic extracts of different parts of C. pennisetiformis and metal solutions, root extract in combination with either Cr(III) or Cr(VI) showed the highest inhibitory potential against the fungus followed by leaf and stem extracts. In combination with methanolic root, leaf and stem extracts, different concentrations of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) significantly reduced fungal biomass by 54-99%, 14-99% and 9-95%, respectively, over negative control. Such studies have not been carried out previously. Results of the present investigation suggest that F. oxysporum oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, the cause of Fusarium wilt disease in tomato, can be managed by application of extracts (or alternatively biomass) of C. pennisetiformis in chromium contaminated soils.

Evaluation of Antifungal Potential of Leaf Extract of Chenopodium murale Against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici

“…For preparation of inoculum of FOL, the fungus was isolated from roots of a diseased tomato plant and cultured on malt extract agar medium, which is quite appropriate for its growth (Khurshid et al, 2016). After inoculation, plates were put into an incubator at 28 o C for 10 days.…”

Biology and Integrated Control of Tomato Wilt Caused by Fusarium oxysporum lycopersici: A Comprehensive Review under the Light of Recent Advancements

“…Tomato plant (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) which belongs to family Solanaceae and the genus Solanum is an annual plant, which can reach a height of over two meters [11,17,19,21,22,[26][27][28][29]34]. The first harvest is possible 45-55 days after flowering, or 90-120 days after sowing.…”

“…Fusarium wilt around the world is considered as one of the most important diseases of tomato [17][18][19]21,22,24,[26][27][28][29]. The causal agent of this disease is Fusarium oxysporum lycopersici [12,19,20,24,[29][30][31][32].…”

Biological Control of Charcoal Rot of Mungbean by Trichoderma harzianum and Shoot Dry Biomass of Sisymbrium irio

“…There are many reports in the past and recent literature saying that plant extracts and soil amendment with certain plant species can be effective in managing plant diseases (Lewis and Papavizas, 1971;Javaid and Iqbal, 2014;Javaid and Rauf, 2015;Khurshid et al, 2016). In recent past, Javaid and Saddique (2012) reported that charcoal rot in mung bean can be markedly suppressed by soil amendment with Datura metel.…”