Effect of Methanol Extract of Aegle marmelos Leaves on Mycelial Growth and Sclerotium Formation in Sclerotium rolfsii

The effect of methanol extract of leaves of a medicinal plant, Aegle marmelos, was seen on the mycelial growth and sclerotium formation in Sclerotium rolfsii. A significant decrease in the mycelial dry weight was observed in the initial incubation periods (7th and 14th day) and a decrease in the number of sclerotia was observed at high concentrations of the extract. At 150 ppm, the highest concentration used in the study, no sclerotia were formed even after 21 days of incubation although, the mycelial weight was comparable with the control. The pH of the culture filtrate was also affected.