Asian J. Exp. Sci., Vol. 23, No.

3, 2009; 01-06

A Search For Alternatives To Control Phytopathogenic Fungi

Curvularia lunata
Varaprasad Bobbarala and K. Chandrasekhar Naidu
Department of Botany,
Andhra University,
Visakhapatnam (A.P.); India.

Abstract : The fungi toxic effect of various medicinal plants belonging to different families was
evaluated for antifungal activity in vitro on plant pathogenic fungi Curvularia lunata. The
hexane, chloroform and methanolic crude extractives of different parts of thirty medicinal plants
were screened for antifungal activity by well diffusion method. Only methanolic extracts exhibited
appreciable inhibition on C. lunata. Of the various plant extracts, the methanolic extracts of
Bridelia montana and Scoparia dulcis showed the highest antifungal activity against C. lunata
and recorded minimum inhibitory concentration below 50 mg/ml. The overall results provide
promising baseline information for the potential use of the crude extracts from medicinal plants
in the treatment of fungal diseases caused by C. lunata.
Key words : Antifungal activity; Medicinal plants; Curvularia lunata; Well diffusion method.

Introduction agricultural chemicals (Cardellina, 1988, Gulter,

Diseases of cultivated crops remain the
major limitation to increased agricultural
production. Therefore, protection of plants from
pathogens remains a primary concern of
agricultural scientists. Despite serious
environmental implications associated with the
increased use, chemical fungicides remain the
first line of defense against fungal pathogens.
Curvularia lunata is a facultative pathogen
and may cause leaf spots and seedling blight.
It is also seen on castor beans, cotton, rice,
barley, wheat and corn. Curvularia is a mold
which is associated with allergy in the literature
and frequently reported in mold spore counts.
Chapman & Williams (1985) reported 7.3%
of the atopic patients being hypersensitive to
Curvularia. Allergic broncho pulmonary
disease caused by Curvularia has been
reported (Mc Aleer et al, 1981).
Natural plant products and their
analogues are an important source of new
* Corresponding author : Varaprasad Bobbarala, Department of Botany, Andhra University,
Visakhapatnam (A.P.); India; E-mail : varaprasadphd@rediffmail.com
1988). Medicinal plants as a group comprise
approximately 8000 species and account for
around 50% of all the higher flowering plant
species of India. Over one and a half million
practitioners of the Indian System of Medicine
use medicinal plants in preventive, promotive
and curative applications. In recent years,
secondary plant metabolities (Phytochemicals),
previously with unknown pharmacological
activities, have been extensively investigated
as a source of medicinal agents (Krisharaju et
al, 2005). Plants have been formed the basis
of natural pesticides, that make excellent leads
for new pesticide development (Newman et
al., 2000). The potential of higher plants as a
source of new drugs is still largely unexplored.
Hence, last decade witnessed an increase in
the investigation on plants as a source of new
biomolecules for human disease management
(Grierson and Afolayan, 1999). Traditionally
plants have been well exploited by man for the
treatment of human diseases, Ayurveda is a

1
Bobbarala V. and Naidu K.C. (2009) Asian J. Exp. Sci., 23(3), 01-06

good example, but not much information is collected plants were identified and
available on the exploitation of plant wealth authenticated by Professor M. Venkaih,
for the management of plant diseases, Department of Botany, Andhra University,
especially against phytopathogenic fungi. The Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Voucher
main objective of this study was to investigate specimens have been deposited at the
the inhibitory effects of different organic Herbarium of our department. The selected
solvent extracts from thirty plant species parts of different medicinal plants were cut
against Curvularia lunata and to evaluate the into small pieces and shade dried at room
potential application of medicinal plant based temperature for fifteen days, finely powdered
treatments to control Curvularia lunata. plant materials were successively extracted
Materials And Methods with organic solvents like hexane, chloroform
and methanol basing on order of their polarity
Plant material and preparation of the using soxhlet apparatus. The different extracts
extracts obtained were subsequently concentrated under
The plant materials of thirty different plant reduced pressure to get their corresponding
species (Table 1) were collected from residues. The extracts were screened for
Visakhapatnam district, Andhrapradesh. The antimicrobial activity using the method
described under the section.
Table 1: List of medicinal plants used in the antimicrobial assay
Plant Name Part Used Uses/Ailments Treated
Acacia farnesiana (L.) Bark, roots Astringent, Demulcent, Poultice, Stomachic.
Willd
Acalypha indica Linn Aerial parts Skin diseases, Ulcers Bronchitis, Head ache,
Snake bite
Adhatoda vasica Nees Leaves, whole plant Cough, chronic bronchitis, rheumatism, asthma
and asthma.
Andrographis paniculata Whole plant, leaves Anti-biotic, anti-viral, anti-parasitic and
Nees immune system stimulant.
Avicennia officinalis L Seed Relieving ulcers
Bridelia montana (Roxb.) Bark, Root Leaf Stomach pains, sore eyes and headaches.
Willd
Catharanthus roseus Linn Leaves and roots Anti-mitotic and Anti-microtubule agents

Centella asiatica Linn Whole Plant Diuretic, treatment of leprosy, use as brain
tonic and stimulates hair growth.
Cleome viscosa Linn Leaves and seeds Anthelmintic, carminative, diaphoretic and
rubefacient.
Coleus forskohlii (Willd.) Roots Treat heart and lung diseases, intestinal spasms,
insomnia and convulsions. Antispasmodic.

Derris scandens (Roxb.) Stem Arthritis, Anti-inflammatory

Benth
Eichhornia crassipes Whole plant Biomass, soil reclamation
(C.Mart.)

2
 A Search for Alternatives to Control Phytopathogenic Fungi Curvularia lunata

( )
Emblica officinalis Gaertn Fruit Aperient, Carminative, Diuretic, Aphrodasiac,
Laxative, Astringent and Refrigerant.

Grevia arborea Linn leaves and roots Gonorrhea, catarrh of bladder, cough, cleaning
the ulcers, insanity, epilepsy, fevers,
indigestion, nerve tonic.
Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Leaves Antispasmodic,antirheumatic and antisoporific
Poit
Hiptage benghalensis (L.) Leaves and bark Insecticidal, cough, inflammation; skin diseases
Kurz and leprosy
Lantana camara Linn. Whole Plant Antidote to snake venam, Malaria, wounds cuts
ulcers, Eczema, Tumours
Murraya Koenigii (L.) Leaves Skin diseases, Heminthiasis, Hyperdipsia,
Spreng Pruritus, etc.
Ocimum sanctum Linn Leaves, Malaria, bronchitis, colds, fevers, absorption,
Seeds arthritis.
Peltophorum Whole plant Reclamation
pterocarpum (DC.)
Phyllanthus niruri L Leaves or herb Jaundice, Diabetes
Plumeria rubra Linn Leaves Ulcers, leprosy, inflammations, rubefacient.
Pongamia pinnata (L.) Bark, seeds Anti malaria , skin disease, rheumatic and
Pierre leprous sores
Salvadora persia, Linn Twigs, roots Antimicrobial and dental diseases
Scoparia dulcis Linn Leaves, bark, roots Used for upper respiratory problems,
congestion, menstrual disorders, fever, wounds
and hemorrhoids
Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Flowers Treat gonorrhea and for curing infection of the
Pers cornea.
Suaeda maritima (L.) Whole plant Bioremediation
Dumort
Tridax procumbens Linn Whole plant Antimicrobial, Anti-oxidant and Anti-
inflammatory,
Vitex pentaphyllal Linn Aerial parts Foetid discharges, Febrifuge Rheumatism
affections, catarrhal
Withania somnifera (L.) Leaves Sore eyes, Febrifuge, ulcers Cure sterility of
Dunal women sedative

Test microorganisms was filtered through sterile double layered

Curvularia lunata was isolated from the
leaves of sorghum. Conidia were isolated from
the 10 days old culture of the pathogens by
flooding culture plates with 5mL of sterile
distilled water and conidia were dislodged by
using L-shaped glass rod. Conidial suspension
muslin cloth to remove bits of mycelia. Spore
suspension was then prepared in liquid potato
dextrose (potato 200 g, dextrose 20 g and water
to make total volume of 1 L) to obtain a
concentration of 3 x 105 conidia/mL.

3
Bobbarala V. and Naidu K.C. (2009) Asian J. Exp. Sci., 23(3), 01-06

Antimicrobial assays of 100mg/ml, 300mg/ml, and 500mg/ml and

The antifungal activity of the crude plant
extracts was determined using the well diffusion
method as described previously by Olurinola
(1996). Twenty ml of potato dextrose agar was
dispensed into sterile universal bottles, and then
inoculated with 0.2 ml of cultures mixed gently
and poured into sterile petri dishes. Then three
to five uniform wells were punctured in potato
dextrose agar medium. Wells were filled with
50µl of the different extracts concentrations
allow diffusing for 25° c for 48 hours. The
plates were incubated at 37°c. A standard
antifungal drug Bavistin (10mg/ml) included as
positive controls. Pure organic solvent was also
included as a control. The antimicrobial activity
was assessed by measuring the diameter of
the inhibition zone formed around the well. The
average of three replicates for each extract
has been calculated.

Table 1: Antimicrobial activity of methanolic extracts on Curvularia lunata

4
 A Search for Alternatives to Control Phytopathogenic Fungi Curvularia lunata
Table 3: MIC of Methanolic extracts on Curvularia lunata
Results And Discussion
In this study the results of the
investigations show that the two extracts from
the bark of S. dulcis and B. montana possess
antimicrobial activities against C. lunata at a
concentration below 50 mg/ml (Table 3). The
two extracts compared favourably with the
standard fungicide Bavistin . Both plant extracts
exhibited a broad spectrum of activity. Out of
the thirty plants tested, the solvents used for
reconstitution of the extracts showed no
activity. Hexane and chloroform extracts were
showing less activity when compared with
methanolic extracts. Methanolic extracts
showed superior activity on C. lunata (Table
2). Hence methanolic extracts data was
reported here. The methanolic extracts of S.
5
dulcis and B. montana exhibited the highest
antifungal activity against C. lunata. The zones
of inhibition of all the medicinal plants were
increased with increased extract
concentration. Methanolic extract of H.
sueolences and M. koenigii showed very less
inhibition when compared with other plant
extracts. All the medicinal plant methanolic
extracts exhibited antifungal activity against C.
lunata (Table 2). Further work is required to
isolate the bioactive constituents and test the
antifungal properties of these compounds, this
may help to find the compound(s) responsible
for antifungal activity. Studies are in progress
to further evaluate the mechanisms of action
of S. dulcis, and B. montana extracts on some
phyto-pathogens associated with plant
diseases.
Bobbarala V. and Naidu K.C. (2009) Asian J. Exp. Sci., 23(3), 01-06

References Newman D. J., Cragg G. M. and Snader K. M. (2000):

The influence of natural products upon drug
Cardellina J. H. (1988): Biologically active Natural
discovery. Natural Product Research, 17, 215-
Products: Potential Use in Agriculture, 305-311.
234.
Chapman J. A. and Williams S. (1985): Aeroallergens
Grierson D.S. and Afolayan A.J. (1999): Antibacterial
of the south-east Missouri area: a report of skin
activity of some indigenous plants used for the
test frequencies and air sampling data. Ann
treatment of wounds in the Eastern Cape, South
Allergy., 24, 411-418.
Africa. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 66,
Gulter H.G. (1988): Natural products and their 103-106.
potential in agriculture. A personal over review.,
Olurinola P.F. (1996): A laboratory manual of
1-22.
pharmaceutical microbiology. Printed by
Krisharaju A.V. and Rao T. V. N. Sundararaju (2005): National Institute for Pharmaceutical
Assessment of bioactivity of Indian medicinal Research and Development Idu Abuja Nigeria
plants using Brine shrimp (Alternaria solania) 69-105.
lethality assay. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Engg., 2, 125-
134.
Mc Aleer R., Kroenert D. B., Elder J. L. and Froudist
J.H. (1981): Allergic broncho pulmonary disease
caused by Curvularia lunata and Drechslera
hawaiiensis. Thorax., 36, 338-344.