Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF ANTIFUNGAL POTENCY OF INDIAN SENNA PLANT EXTRACTS AGAINST FUNGUS AFFECTING FOOD CROPS

Pearlin Olivea J. and Sheela S.*

ABSTRACT

Phytochemical obtained from plant extracts have been discovered having medicinal properties that benefits plant growth and humans diseases. As phytochemical from senna consists of antifungal, abortifacient, hepatoprotective and anthelmintic activity. The whole plant benefits with various medicinal uses, mostly they consists of antifungal activity on dermatophytic fungi which interacts the fungal cell membranes moreover the use of senna plant against fungus is efficient, there are many fungus that attacks a broad spectrum of economically important crops such as maize, soybean, sorghum, sesame, cotton, beans, sunflower or cucurbits. Antifungal potential of antagonistic plant senna as the leaf powder was used to obtain anthraquinone compounds and many relevant bioactive compounds that take part in antifungal properties that can cure leaf blight, charcoal rot and stem rot diseases as these diseases on plants can cause death, In order to enhance the growth and life of crops, fungicides are required naturally. The aim of the study is to derive different kinds of infected plant samples for the study of individual microorganisms that infects crops and study of their antifungal activity is compared with test samples (senna) through Disc diffusion modified kirby - bauer method on PDA agar plates and concentration values of senna is determined, as the study demonstrates the potent antifungal activities of indian senna plants invitro by analyzing its potential practical applications in treatment of diseases on food crop.

Keywords: Phytochemical analysis; GC-MS analysis; Fungal Isolation; Antifungal activity - Modified Kirby-Bauer method, Disc diffusion.