Vol. 11, Issue 8 (2022)

Author(s):
Pallavi HU, Navinraj S, Manikanda Boopathi N, Uma D, Nakkeeran S, Kewat Sanjay Kumar, Awadhesh Kumar and Santhanakrishnan VP

Abstract:
Plant fungal diseases are responsible for substantial agricultural crop loss. To control plant fungal pathogens, farmers rely on synthetic fungicides with major concerns like phytotoxicity, vertebrate toxicity, pest resistance, pest resurgence, extensive environmental risks and high cost, etc. Plant-derived botanicals can be safely used to control and manage crop fungal diseases to combat aforesaid hazardous issues. Citrus peels are renowned for their abundance in bio active phytochemicals with potential for plant disease management. In this study, the phytochemicals present in the peels of Citrus limon was extracted by using methanol. The crude methanolic extract was studied for its antifungal property against agriculturally important soil-borne fungi such as Sclerotium rolfsii, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense, Macrophomina phaseolina and Rhizoctonia solani. In vitro assay shows 100% inhibition of R. solani at 750 ppm. On the other hand, the mycelial growth of S. rolfsii, M. phaseolina and F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense was inhibited by 94.79%, 94.16%, and 80.65% at 1000 ppm Hence, the present study clearly indicated the Citrus limon peels which is bio waste can be employed as bio resource in the development of green botanical fungicides.