Poisoned food technique

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of different fractions of aqueous, ethanolic and methanolic extracts of certain bryophytes such as Plagiochasma appendiculatum (Liverwort) Anthoceros longii (Hornwort), Fissidens bryoides and Entodon prorepens (Mosses) against phytopathogenic fungi Alternaria solani, Curvularia lunata and Fusarium moniliforme using poisoned food technique. The results revealed that the radial growth in form of colony diameter, fresh weight of test fungi drastically reduced in response to all concentrations ranged from 10 to 100 per cent especially in the plant material extracted with methanol showed strong antifungal activity with significance inhibition on percent inhibition and fungal hyphal length of all test fungi. Among plants P.appendiculatum extract showed potent antifungal activity followed by A. longii, F. bryoides and E. prorepens. Fungus F. moniliforme exhibited most sensitivity in methanolic extract of P. appendiculatum followed by C. lunata and A. solani. Findings of this study confirmed that all four bryophytes have some potent bioactive phytochemicals which showed antifungal activity resulting in the suppression of fungal growth therefore, after further analysis of extracts and confirmation of phytochemicals, extracts of these, plants can be used as natural and ecofriendly fungicides to control phytopathogenic fungi to reduce the pressure of use of synthetic fungicides.