Antifungal activity of Datura stramonium, Calotropis gigantea and Azadirachta indica against Fusarium mangiferae and floral malformation in mango

Abstract

Floral malformation caused by Fusarium mangiferae is a serious threat to mango cultivation in various countries. Different long-term measures suggested to control it were found to be unsuccessful. Present studies clearly showed strong antifungal activity of a concoction brewed from Datura stramonium, Calotropis gigantea, Azadirachta indica (neem) and cow manure (T 1 ) followed by methanol-water (70/ 30 v/v) extracts of Datura stramonium, Calotropis gigantea and Azadirachta indica (T 2 ) against Fusarium mangiferae. Optimal control of floral malformation was found in trees sprayed with T 1 followed by T 2 at bud break stage and again at fruit set stage when compared with the control. All the malformed buds or panicles completely dried two days after foliar spray with T 1 or T 2 . In the trees treated with T 1 at fruit set stage, flower abscission was observed from the fourth day after spraying and all flowers dropped by the ninth day without requiring any manual de-blossoming, whereas in the control, the malformed panicles remained green and competed with the growing fruits for plant nutrients. In vitro culture of fresh malformed tissues in MS media along with T 1 or T 2 showed no growth of any fungus in the media. However, in vitro culture of the completely dry malformed tissues in MS media after foliar treatment with T 1 or T 2 revealed growth of F. mangiferae on the twenty fifth day indicating that the concoction-brewed compost (T 1 ) or methanol-water (70/30 v/v) extracts (T 2 ) could not completely eliminate the pathogen but helped in controlling malformation by suppressing the activity of F. mangiferae. Mango trees sprayed with T 1 and T 2 revealed significant differences in percent fruit set and retention when compared with the control. This could be due to observed higher levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, iron and manganese in T 1, followed by T 2 when compared with T 3 (control). Among the different fruit quality parameters analysed, the total flavonoids were found to be significantly higher in T 1 and T 2 when compared with T 3. The study proved that the concoction-brewed compost (T 1 ) is effective, inexpensive, easy to prepare and constitutes a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to control floral malformation in mango when it is sprayed at bud break stage and again at fruit set stage.In this present study, exogenous treatment of emerging buds with (T c ) further proved that with increase in the number of malformed panicles/tree the number of buds developing into healthy panicles/tree decrease.

Withdrawal of maize protection by herbicides and insecticides increases mycotoxins contamination near maximum thresholds

“…Several of these weed species/Fusarium pairs had already been identified by Postic et al (2012) or Altinok (2013). Our observations are not consistent with an anticipated negative interaction due to the antifungal effects of the broadleaf weed Datura stramonium extract (Usha et al 2009). Our measurement remains purely statistical, so pairwise associates may reflect both causality or/and similar responses to any external environmental condition or agricultural practice.…”

Effect of Plant Extracts and Growth Substrates on Controlling Damping-Off in Pinus Tecunumanii Seedlings

“…The use of extract mixtures produced with D. stramonium and other plant species has shown antifungal potential against Fusarium mangiferae (USHA et al, 2009). Studies performed with pine bark substrate have shown that this may decrease fungicide applications for controlling damping-off in forest seedlings by inhibiting the pathogens that affect the root (CASTILLO, 2004).…”

“…Essential oils from Matricaria recutita and M. chamomilla have been used to inhibit the growth of saprophytic and opportunistic fungi like Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus, A. Niger, Trichoderma harzianum and Fusarium oxysporum (Tolouee et al, 2010;Jamalian et al, 2012). Similarly, extracts from the species Datura stramonium, Calotropis gigantea, and Azadirachta indica (neem) have been used to control Fusarium mangiferae (USHA et al, 2009). …”

Endophytic Bacteria from Datura stramonium for Fusarium Wilt Suppression and Tomato Growth Promotion

“…The native wild Solanaceae D. stramonium from Tunisia (Chott-Mariem, Sousse) was used for the isolation of endophytic bacteria. Aqueous extracts [42], methanol extracts [43], petroleum ether, hexane, chloroform and ethanol extracts [15] from D. stramonium were extensively exploited for their antifungal activity against plant pathogenic fungi. However, few data were available on D. stramonium use as potent source of isolation of fungal [21,44] and bacterial biocontrol agents [11].…”