Assessment of the Effectiveness of Leaf Extracts from Various Plants in Controlling Red Rot Pathogen  Affecting Sugarcane

Assessment of the Effectiveness of Leaf Extracts from Various Plants in Controlling Red Rot Pathogen  Affecting Sugarcane

Abstract:

Botanical extracts have demonstrated effective control of plant diseases, as highlighted in this investigation. The study assessed the efficacy of leaf extracts from Azadirachta indica, Carica papaya, Lawsonia inermis, Khaya senegalensis, and Ziziphus spina-christi against Colletotrichum falcatum, the causative agent of sugarcane red rot disease. Infected sugarcane samples for isolation and identification were procured from the National Cereal Research Institute (NCRI) Badeggi, while sixty healthy sugarcane setts were sourced from farmers along the Bida Mokwa road in Niger state. Plant leaf materials were collected from Egubagi village’s mountain area, identified at the herbarium in the Department of Plant Biology, Federal University of Technology, Minna. The leaves underwent sterilization using 0.5% sodium hypochlorite, followed by soxhlet extraction. Qualitative phytochemical screening was conducted on the tested leaves. Fungus isolation and identification involved sectioning the transition zone between infected and healthy tissue, followed by inoculation into potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. In vitro antagonistic effects of plant extracts were evaluated using food poison techniques at concentrations of 75%, 50%, and 25%, alongside controls (0.5g/L clot and sterile distilled water) with three replicates each. The top three extracts displaying the highest mycelia inhibition were selected for field evaluation in vivo, focusing on their impact on sugarcane growth parameters (plant girth, height, nodes, and internode length) within a screen house. Phytochemical analysis unveiled alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, steroids, anthraquinones, and cardiac glycosides in the extracts. In vitro results indicated mycelia growth inhibition percentages of 100.0±0.00 (Lawsonia inermis), 53.00±1.15 (Azadirachta indica), 78.00±0.00 (Carica papaya), 45.00±1.00 (Ziziphus spina-christi), and 60.60±0.00 (Khaya senegalensis). Controls exhibited 100.0±0.00 (0.5 g/L clot) and 0.00±0.00 (sterile distilled water). Promising field outcomes were recorded at 75% concentration for disease reduction percentages: Lawsonia inermis (6.94%), Carica papaya (15.28%), and Khaya senegalensis (25.8%), surpassing controls (5.90±0.00 clot, 0% sterile distilled water). All treatment-induced percentage inhibition and reduction were statistically significant (P<0.05). The efficacy of ethanolic leaf extracts increased with concentration, with 75% concentration showcasing peak mycelial growth inhibition (in vitro) and disease reduction (in vivo). Ziziphus spina-christi extract displayed the lowest impact on C. falcatum mycelia growth (45.00±1.00%) in vitro, while Khaya senegalensis exhibited milder effects (25.8-35.09%) in suppressing disease severity on sugarcane plants (in vivo). The results hold promise, suggesting that select plant extracts could effectively mitigate sugarcane red rot disease in field settings. Assessment of the Effectiveness of Leaf Extracts from Various Plants in Controlling Red Rot Pathogen  Affecting Sugarcane.   GET MORE, ACTUARIAL SCIENCE PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS