This research article published by the Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences, Vol.47, 2021
This study was done to evaluate the antifungal efficacy of Jatropha curcas leaf extracts against
groundnut late leaf spot disease caused by Phaeosariopsis personata (P. personata) and
identify their bioactive compounds responsible for antifungal effects. Jatropha curcas leaves
extracted sequentially through chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol solvents were
evaluated against the mycelial growth of P. personata by food poisoning method. About 0.1,
0.25 or 0.5 mg/ml (plant extract/water) of each extract were mixed in molten PDA poured
into Petri dishes. Thereafter solidified amended PDA with extracts was kept at room
temperature for 24 hours. A seven-day-old fungal plug (4mm diameter) of P. personata was
plated at the middle of the Petri dishes in triplicates. Inoculation on PDA plates amended
with fungicide Chlorothalonil (720g/L) or water was included as positive and negative control
respectively. The results proved that J. curcas leaf extracts possessed fungicidal properties
since they inhibited the growth of P. personata. Moreover the antifungal effect of J. curcas
leaf extracts increased as concentration increased. Moreover, J. curcas leaf extracts highly
inhibited mycelial growth by (85.78%) similar to standard fungicide (chlorothalonil) (88.37%)
in this experiment. The presence of important compounds found in J. curcas leaf extracts by
GC-MS supported their ability against P. personata pathogen. Among the major compounds
identified with antifungal activity were hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, hexadecanoic acid
ethyl ester, hexadecane, n-hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid ethyl ester, phytol and 9, 12-
octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-methyl ester. The potentiality of J. curcas extracts in managing
groundnut late leaf spot disease was confirmed by their ability to inhibit the growth of P.
personata and possession of important phytochemical compounds.