Antifungal activities of some plant extracts against Fusarium solani and their molecular characterization

The present investigation was carried of the antifungal properties of leaf extract of Aegle marmelos [L.], Trianthema decandra Linn., Sphaeranthus indicus Roxb., Borreria hispida and Leucas aspera against ten clinical isolates of Fusarium solani strains from Aravind Eye Hospital, Coimbatore. The antifungal assay was determined by disc diffusion method by using the solvents such as ethanol, benzene, dimethyl formaldehyde and distilled water used, the leaves of Aegle marmelos Correa, Trianthema decandra and borreria hispida had been extracted with DMF instead of benzene. The results revealed that the ethanolic extract having significant inhibitory activity when compared to other solvent. There was no activity found in aqueous extracts against all strains. Fusarium solani [4th strain] was not inhibited by solvent extracts of all plant leaves. Based on the high inhibitory activity, the six strains were selected and the DNA were isolated from that Fusarium solani

Studies on Agrobacterium rhizogenes isolated from the nodules of some leguminous plants

To compare the isolates of Agrobacterium of live different Leguminous plants viz., pisum sativum, Sesbania rostrata, vigna mungo, V. radiate and V. ungiculata. Bacteria were isolated from the nodules of host species as per the standard methods. The isolated bacteria were characterized and identified as Agrobacterium rhizogenes and confirmed by Pathogenicity test. Biochemical characteristics such as exopolysaccharide, glycogen, total protein, total free amino acids and total lipid were quantified from the agrobacterial isolates. Similarly protein profile was also carried out by SDS-PAGE. From the above results it is concluded that the agrobacteria of different leguminous plants showed lot of variants in their biochemical contents and hence be treated as separate strains of A. rhizogenes

Diversity of fungi from driftwood of Muthupet mangroves

Intertidal driftwood samples were collected from Muthupet mangrove environment, South East Coast of Tamilnadu, India. The wood samples were examined for fungi by plating method culturing on Potato Dextrose Agar Medium with sea water. A total number of 27 species of fungi belonging to 7 genera were recorded. Most of them were Deuteromycetes except Rhizopus. Out of 27 species Aspergillus niger was found to be dominant fungus followed by Aspergillus fumigatus and A. flavus. Thus the intertidal driftwood along Tamilnadu East Coast yield impressive diversity of fungi

Studies on anti-skin rashes of selected Indian herbs

In present study the fungal organism, Aspergillus sp., A.fumigatus, A. terreus, A. niger, Brown mycelium and Curvularia sp Geotrichum sp., Helminthosportum Mucor sp., M. zygospore, Penicillium citrinum, Rhizopus sp., R. nigricqns, vegetative mycehum were isolated from skin rashes of humans. Chloroform extract of Abutilon indicum, Acalypha indica, Datura siranlornum, Vinca rosea showed inhibitory activity against isolated fungal organisms. Among the herbs, Vinca rosea showed highest effective performance