Phytochemical Screening and In-Vitro Antifungal Efficacy of Mango and Mahogany Leaf Extracts against Pythium Myriotylum Infecting Amaranthus Hybridus

Abstract

The use of plant botanicals have gained a lot of attention in recent times, owing to the health and economic implications associated with their uses. Amaranthus hybridus has numerous nutritional values but it is affected largely by post emergence damping off disease. This research investigated the efficacy of the leaf extracts of three plant Mango (Mangifera indica) and Mahogany (Khaya senegalensis) against Pythium myriotylum the causative pathogen of post emergence damping off disease in Amaranthus hybridus. The plant samples were collected, dried and extraction was done using the soxhlet apparatus. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening was done using standard procedures. The causative pathogen (Pythium myriotylum) was isolated from infected A. hybridus leaves and the rhizosphere on PDA medium. Agar well diffusion methods was used for antifungal studies using two extract concentrations at 500, 800 and 1000 mg/mL. The control was without extract and three replicates of each were made. Incubation was done at 28±2 oC for 7 days. The radial growth of P. myriotylum at day 7 from Mahogany extract at 500, 800 and 1000 mg/ml concentrations were 4.00, 3.99 and 3.99 cm respectively, while Mango extract were 4.00, 3.12 and 2.75 cm. The results obtained showed that the plant extracts have positive potentials towards inhibiting the pathogen (P. myriotylum) with Mango extract having the highest inhibition potential followed by Mahogany extract recorded the lowest. Therefore, this study supports the use of these botanicals in the control of plant damping off disease of A. hybridus as it has proven to be effective.