IN VITRO ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF SELECTED MEDICINAL PLANT DIFFUSATES AGAINST ALTERNARIA SOLANI, RHIZOCTONIA SOLANI AND MACROPHOMINA PHASEOLINA

The present paper reports the antifungal activity of plant diffusates from 5 indigenous medicinal plant species of Potohar region viz., Adhatoda zeylanica, Azadirachta indica, Capparis decidua, Dodonaea viscosa and Salvadora oleoides. Antifungal activity was tested against 3 pathogens attacking commercial crops viz., Alternaria solani, Rhizoctonia solani and Macrophomina phaseolina. All selected medicinal plants exhibited considerable distinction in radial mycelial growth of tested pathogens. Overall, Dodonaea viscosa appeared significantly the most effective and suppressed the radial mycelial growth of the Alternaria solani and Rhizoctonia solani, whereas, Adhatoda zeylanica exhibited maximum inhibition (77.44%) against Macrophomina phaseolina. However, Salvadora oleoides exhibited minimum inhibition against all tested pathogens. It was also observed that radial mycelial growth of selected pathogens reduced at an increase of plant diffusates concentration. Among 5 concentrations of plant diffusates, the highest inhibition in radial mycelial growth of all 3 pathogens was observed at 100 and 200g/l respectively, as compared to control, while minimum inhibition was recorded at 10g/l in all plant diffusates. It may be concluded from the present investigation that Dodonaea viscosa can be utilized for the management of fungal diseases caused by Alternaria solani, Macrophomina phaseolina and Rhizoctonia solani.