Abstract

Extracts of five plants viz. Azadirachta indica, Lantana camara, Ocimum sanctum, Eucalyptus globulus and Calotropis gigantea were evaluated in vitro by poison food technique (PFT) @ 3, 5, 7 and 9% concentrations against Alternaria brassicae andFusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici causing blight of mustard and wilt of tomato respectively. In vitro study on A. brassicae revealed that all five plant extracts at all four concentrations significantly inhibited the mycelial growth of this pathogen as compared to control. However O. sanctum was found most efficacious with growth inhibition of (31.85%) followed by E. globulus (28.97%) and L. camara (23.60%). While in in vitro study of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici A. indica extract was found most efficacious with growth inhibition of (29.33%) followed by E. globulus extract (28.72%). Therefore more evaluations in the green house of field experiments may validate their antifungal activity.

Key words: Alternaria brassicae, plant extracts, poison food technique, Fusarium oxysporum, tomato.