PJB-2023-426
BIOCONTROL OF FUSARIUM WILT OF MAIZE BY EXTRACT OF SORGHUM HALEPENSE L.
Hafiza Fatima Shareef
Abstract
Zea mays L. is a vital annual cereal crop of the Poaceae (grass) family, with global significance. Maize crop infected by different fungal pathogens that cause great economic losses. Fusarium oxysporum, is accountable to causing wilt disease in large number of crops. The present study investigated the antifungal activity of Sorghum halepense (Pers.) L. extract for the management of Fusarium wilt disease that is cause by F. oxysporum. To attain this objective, methanolic extract of S. halepense was applied both in vitro and in vivo against the test fungus. In in vitro assay different parameters viz. germination rate, germination %age, radicle and plumule length and fresh and dry weight were assessed. In vivo antifungal potential of S. halepense. was checked in field using earthen pots. Sampling was done at vegetative and reproductive stages of plant and physiological and biochemical parameters like germination %, germination rate, both dry and fresh weight, shoot and root length, seed vigor, tolerance index, chlorophyll and carotene content, relative water content, membrane stability index, osmotic potential, protein, proline, sugar content was determined. Results showed significant difference in growth of maize plant under fungal stress. Various biochemical and physiological parameters aspects were decreased while proline and sugar were increased when subjected to fungus stress. Plants in which seeds were treated with methanolic extract of S. halepence demonstrated enhanced growth in comparison to the plants under fungal stress. 20% concentration of plant methanolic extract was more effective than 10% concentration in controlling fungal growth. Phytochemical analysis of S. halepence indicated the existence of flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, tannins, alkaloids, terpenoids and phlobatannin. It can be concluded that methanol extracts of plant S. halepense can be utilized to control fungal disease of maize (Zea mays) caused by F. oxysporum.
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