ABSTRACT
Crude extracts and active principles from medicinal plants have shown potential role in controlling plant diseases in glasshouses as well as in fields as one of the safest and ecofriendly methods. The effect of nor-securinine (an alkaloid) isolated from Phyllanthus amarus has been seen against spore germination of some fungi (Alternaria brassicae, A. solani, Curvularia pennisetti, Curvularia sp., Erysiphe pisi, Helminthosporium frumentacei) as well as pea powdery mildew (Erysiphe pisi) under glasshouse conditions. The sensitivity of fungi to nor-securinine varied considerably. Nor-securinine was effective against most of the fungi. H. frumentacei was more sensitive even at the lowest concentration (1,000 microg/ml). Likewise conidia of E. pisi were also inhibited in partially or completely appressorium formation. Pre-inoculation treatment showed greater efficacy than post-inoculation in inhibiting powdery mildew development on pea plants in a glasshouse. Maximum inhibition occurred at 2000 microg/ml
Subject(s)
Brassica , Complex Mixtures , Fungi , Germination , Helminthosporium , Pisum sativum , Phyllanthus , Plant Diseases , Plants, Medicinal , Spores , Spores, FungalABSTRACT
Medicinal plants play important roles in controlling plant diseases as one of the safest and ecofriendly methods. These plants have been used in the form of crude extracts as well as active principles in vitro and under field conditions to control plant diseases. Among the active principles, alkaloids have shown significant antifungal activity. We have investigated the effect of two alkaloids viz., (-)-corydahnine and (-)-isocorypahnine isolated from Corydalis chaerophylla, against spore germination of some plant pathogenic and saprophytic fungal spores. Significant inhibition of spore germination at 100 microg/ml was seen against Curvularia penniseti, Curvularia sp. and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides by (-)-corydahnine but (-)-isocorypalmine was also effective against fungi included in the experiment.