Effect of plant extracts against Pythium aphanidermatum – the incitant of fruit rot of muskmelon (Cucumis melo)

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during 2005–07 to utilize plant extracts as bio-fungicides for suppression of Pythium aphanidermatum causing fruit rot of muskmelon. Maximum inhibition of fungal growth was recorded with extracts (25%) of Allium sativum (82.01%), followed by Azadirachta indica (79.90), Curcuma longa (79.88%) and Zingiber afficinales (79.82%) in ethanol solvent. The least inhibition was recorded at 10% concentration of A. cepa (36.87%), followed by Ocimum sanctum (37.00%) in distilled water. Under field conditions A. sativum extract (25%) showed lowest diseases severity (5.97%), followed by A. indica (6.13), and C. longa (6.56%) ; Z. afficinales (ginger) (8.00%) Datura stramonium (Datura) (9.07%) A. cepa and O. sanctum also gave significant lower disease severity. Significantly highest disease severity was recorded in control [at 9th day post-inoculation (25.50%), followed by 9th day pre-inoculation (20.09%)].