Journal of Petroleum & Environmental Biotechnology

Cinnamomum zeylanicum blume: A potential antifungal agent against early blight (Alternaria solani NCIM 887) infesting tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum mill)

Gauri Yeole

: Agrotechnol

Abstract:

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) is susceptible to various fungal pathogens in its complete life cycle. Present study was aimed to investigate the antifungal activity of Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume (Cinnamon), one of the common spices grown in Srilanka and India. Its bark had been extracted in hexane, methanol and water using soxhlet apparatus. Activity of all these extracts was studied against Alternaria solani (NCIM - 887), an important phytopathogen, causing early blight in tomato. Aqueous extract did not exhibit any antifungal activity. On the other hand, hexane and methanol extracts showed excellent in vitro anti-fungal activity against A. solani at 1ml and 2 ml/lit dose. Different combinations of crude extracts were tried for pot assay bioefficacy studies against the same phytopathogen. The mixture of hexane and methanol extracts showed control of early blight in tomato after 48 to 144 hrs with increase in number of flowers and fruits as compared to untreated control. These results clearly showed that this mixture, after proper formulation, has a potential, though not in total replacement but minimization in the use of chemical fungicides. Keywords: C. zeylanicum, herbal fungicide, A. solani, early blight etc.

Biography :

Gauri Yeole has completed her M.Sc. Biotechnology, qualified Ph.D. Entrance Test (PET 2010) from North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India. She worked as a Lecturer in Undergraduate College affiliated to same university. She is pursuing her Ph.D. in Biotechnology, with research topic entitled, ?Development of herbal fungicide against phytopathogenic fungi?. Her research paper is in progress