BIOCHEMICAL CONTROL OF CHICKPEA BLIGHT PATHOGEN BY METHANOLIC FRUIT EXTRACT OF SYZYGIUM CUMINI

Abstract

In vitro bioassays were carried out to investigate the antifungal activity of methanolic fruit extract of Sizygium cumini (L.) Skeels and its organic solvent fractions against Ascochyta rabiei (Pass.) Lab., the cause of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) blight. Different concentrations of methanolic extract (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 mg mL^-1) reduced the fungal biomass by 44-66%. Methanolic extract was portioned using four organic solvents viz. n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. Different concentrations viz. 200, 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25, 3.125 and 1.562 mg mL^-1 of these fractions were tested against the fungal pathogen. All the organic solvent fractions reduced fungal biomass to variable extents. There was 31-58%, 22-66%, 49-66% and 50-67% suppression in biomass of the fungus due to different concentrations of n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol fraction, respectively. The present study concludes that methanolic fruit extract has substantial antifungal potential against A. rabiei.