Efficacy of leaf extract from Terminalia catappa Linn. to inhibit fungal plant pathogens

Abstract

Leaf extract of Terminalia catappa was tested for their abilities to inhibit growth of fungal plant pathogens by using two kinds of solvent; distilled water and 95% ethyl alcohol to control fungal plant pathogen in 1) Sclerotium spp. (ScAY), the cause of root rot disease in round eggplant, 2) Collectotrichum gloeosporioides (CgAY), the cause of anthracnose disease on chili spur pepper and 3) C. capsici (CcAY), the cause of anthracnose disease on chili pepper. The efficacy test was conducted by poisoned food technique on potato dextrose agar (PDA). The experiment result revealed that leaf extract of Terminalia catappa, diluted in 95% ethyl alcohol with 1,000 ppm concentration exhibited an inhibitory effect against Sclerotium spp. (ScAY), C. gloeosporioides (CgAY) and C. capsici (CcAY). Average disease severity rating was 73.81%, 55.50% and 56.27%, respectively. The study showed that 95% ethanolic leaf extract of Terminalia catappa was more effective in inhibiting fungal plant pathogens.