Evaluation of some plant extracts for controlling mycoflora causing spoilage of stored cereals and legumes

Document Type : Original articles

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Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, Damietta, Egypt

Abstract

This study aimed to isolate and identify seed-borne fungi associated with some cereals and legumes and the possibility of their control by some plant extracts. The studied cereals and legumes were Sorghum bicolor, Triticum aestivum, Oryza sativa, Lens esculentus, Vigna sinensis, Arachis hypogea and Vicia faba. Thirteen fungal species were isolated from these cereals and legumes. Five fresh plants called Allium sativum, Aloe vera, Mentha basilicum, Musa acuminate and Eucalptus rostrata and eleven dried plants called Datura stramonium, Zingiber officinale, Azadirachta indica, Jatropha curcas, Euphorbia peplis, Ocimum basilicum, Carum carvi, Rosmarinus officinalis, Nigella sativa, Cuminum cyminum and Citrullus colocynthis as medicinal plants were screened for their antifungal activities. Aqueous extracts of all mentioned plants were tested against Aspergillus niger, A. flavus and Penicillium chrysogenum in vitro because they represented the highest percentage of occurrence on seeds and grains. Allium sativum and Zingiber officinale exhibited maximum antifungal activity, whereas Datura stramonium and Citrullus colocynthis showed moderate activity. In addition, these plant extracts were tested against the germination of seeds and grains by using blotter plate method. Treated seeds and grains by plant extracts showed an increase of their germination (%) and reduction of seed-borne fungal infection.

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