Assessment of Antifungal and Phytotoxic Properties of Peganum harmala L. Extracts on Cultivated Plants And Pathogenic Fungi

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the antifungal potential of Peganum harmala L. against significant plant pathogenic fungi and its phytotoxic impact on select cultivated plants. The aerial parts (flowers, shoots, leaves, and seeds) of P. harmala were harvested from Kırşehir Province during the 2023 growing season. Subsequently, the collected plants were shade-dried in the laboratory and finely powdered using an electric grinder. One liter of methanol was added to 100 grams of the dried plant material, followed by a 48-hour maceration period. After methanol evaporation, the residue was dissolved in DMSO to achieve concentrations of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mg mL-1. Nine-centimeter diameter Petri dishes were prepared with two layers of filter paper, and 25 seeds each of the test plants (wheat, cress, and clover) were evenly distributed. The Petri dishes were then sealed and incubated at 24°C for a period ranging from 1 to 4 weeks. After the incubation period, seed germination rates and the lengths of roots and shoots were measured for the test plants. Additionally, the impact of the methanol extract on the mycelial growth of pathogenic fungi including Alternaria alternata (A.A), Verticillium dahliae (V.D), Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (S.S), Alternaria solani (A.S), and Monilinia fructigena(M.F) at concentrations of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mg mL-1 was evaluated. The results indicated varying effects of the plant methanol extract on the cultivated plants, with Sclerotinia sclerotiorum displaying inhibition rates of 0.0%, 0.0%, 19.68%, 39.59%, and 62.97% against Alternaria solani, Monilinia fructigena, Verticillium dahliae, Alternaria alternata, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, respectively. Consequently, the study identified the biological activity of P. harmala and recommended further validation through pot and field experiments.

Keywords

• Peganum harmala L.
• phytotoxic effect
• antifungal activity
• germination
• root and shoot growth

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