Antimicrobial Activity of Ficus Leaf Extracts on some Fungal and Bacterial Pathogens of Discorea rotundata from Southwest Nigeria
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Date
2011
Authors
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Publisher
Journal of Biological Sciences,
Abstract
Bio-control methods have become a common practice in horticulture and crop husbandry due to the attendant negative impact of fungicides and other chemical agents on soil, vegetation and environment. Most fungicides accumulate in plant tissues and subsequently trigger carcinogenic effects in animals and humans. The leaf extracts of Ficus thonningii, F. saussureana, F. exasperata and F. sur were screened for antimicrobial properties on eight (8) fungal species which included Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, Botryodiploidia theobromae, Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, Penicillium chrysogenum, P. oxalicum and Rhizopus stolonifer and two (2) bacterial species viz; Pseudomonas spp. and Klebsiella spp. which were isolated from the rot portions of tubers of Dioscorea rotundata. The extracts from the Ficus species had low antimicrobial effect at 25 and 50 mg mL-1 concentrations while a significant arrest of mycelia growth was observed at 75 and 100 mg mL-1 concentrations. The presence of alkaloids, flavonoids and cardiac glycosides in the leaves of these species may have conferred the antimicrobial properties on these species. Application of the fungal pathogens isolated on healthy tubers and the subsequent development of rots confirmed these organisms as the natural pathogens of this crop. The extracts from all the four Ficus species exerted significant antimicrobial effect on all the test organisms at 75 and 100 mg mL-1 concentrations and its application at these concentrations would help to minimise infection and spoilage during and after storage and improve farmers’ revenue.
Description
Keywords
Dioscorea rotundata, Ficus species, Bio-control, Antimicrobial
Citation
O.A. Oyelana, E.U. Durugbo, O.D. Olukanni, E.A. Ayodele, Z.O. Aikulola and A.I. Adewole, 2011. Antimicrobial Activity of Ficus Leaf Extracts on Some Fungal and Bacterial Pathogens of Dioscorea rotundata from Southwest Nigeria. Journal of Biological Sciences, 11: 359-366.