In anticipation of the food crisis, developing innovative products and technologies to increase crop yield and quality is a necessity. In this context, the aim of this study was to develop a phytostimulant based on Tagetes erecta extract and rhizobacteria to increase the antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi. The hydroalcoholic extract from T. erecta flowers was characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometric assays (total phenolic content, total flavonoids content, reducing sugar content), qualitatively by ATR-FTIR and quantitatively for individual compounds by UHPLC-HESI analysis. The antioxidant activity was evaluated and the phytostimulation capacity was done on the radish and cucumber. The variants of the concentration that stimulated the rhizobacteria (Bacillus sp.) proliferation were selected by evaluating the influence on the microbial viability in a liquid medium. The antifungal activity against fungal pathogens (Monilinia laxa, Fusarium graminearum, Aspergillus niger) was determined by reducing mycelium growth in solid and liquid media. The synergistic effect between optimal levels of rhizobacteria-containing T. erecta extract showed a significant decrease in mycelium development. Thus, PGPR strains treated with T. erecta extract could be applied as biocontrol agents against plant pathogens and stimulate vegetable seedlings.

Since the constant use of traditional pesticides can have long-term adverse effects on human health, the environment and the fact that pests can develop resistance to them, it is of interest to develop natural alternatives with a role to protect plants and crops. Such an alternative would be the use of phytochemical compounds, with an antioxidant role, found in fenugreek seeds. This research paper aimed to evaluate the effect of three types of extracts obtained from fenugreek seeds (Trigonella foenum-graecum) on radish seeds through the germination bioassay. The extracts were obtained in three different organic solvents (ethanol 70%, propylene glycol - PG-50% and ethanol 40%), the phenolic profile was analyzed using the Folin Ciocalteu method and the antioxidant activity by the DPPH bioassay. The results showed that the variant in 40% ethanol was superior regarding the content of total polyphenols (TPC) and flavonoids (TFC) (2.667 CAE mg/ml and 3.199 RE mg/ml) compared to the extract variants obtained in 70% ethanol (1.635 CAE mg/ml and 1.863 RE mg/ml) and PG 50% (2.072 CAE mg/ml and 2.147 RE mg/ml), what particularly influenced the antioxidant activity. The Fenugreek extract in ethanol 40% has a higher redox potential compared to the other extract variants tested in our study. The phytotoxic profile of the extracts was achieved by applying the radish (Raphanus sativus) seed germination bioassay. According to the results obtained, the extracts in 40% ethanol showed moderately phytotoxic activity at the concentrations of 0.50% and 1.0% and strongly phytotoxic at the concentration of 1.5% extract, while the extract variant in 70% ethanol, showed moderately phytotoxic activity at the first three concentrations tested and a strong phytotoxic effect at the concentration of 1.5%; in the case of the extract obtained in PG, no phytotoxic activity was recorded on the tested seeds, the Gi being >80%.