In vitro Antifungal Activity of Weed Plants of Eastern Uttar Pradesh against Fusarium oxysporum f. lycopersici (Sacc.) Snyder & Hansen

Abstract

Today, global agriculture relies heavily on synthetic pesticides, with over 3.5 billion kilograms used annually. This widespread use has been linked to various health risks, ranging from acute poisoning to chronic illnesses, including multiple forms of cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, nervous disorders, infertility, leukemia etc. As a safer alternative, plants produce a different armory of secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids that possess fungicidal properties and biological activity against phytopathogenic fungi. These natural compounds show a sustainable and eco-friendly option for disease management. Fusarium oxysporum f. lycopersici, the causal organism of tomato wilt, also affects other crops like potatoes, peppers, brinjals, and legumes. Interestingly, many weed plants are rich sources of bioactive secondary metabolites, such as flavonoids, terpenoids, and phenolics, which are both effective against diseases and environmentally safe. The present study investigated the antifungal activity of aqueous extracts obtained from various parts of 40 weed plant species, belonging to 22 families. Among the tested samples, the inflorescence extract of Hyptis suaveolens of the family Lamiaceae showed the maximum antifungal efficacy, inhibiting 98.19% of mycelial growth of F. oxysporum f. lycopersici. The stem extract of the same plant also shows strong activity, with a 94.31% inhibition. Other significant results were the stem of Spilanthes acmella, whole plant of Lathyrus aphaca, and leaf of Amaranthus gracilis also exhibited notable antifungal properties with 85.60, 81.35 and 81.26 percent, respectively.