Abstract
Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) inflorescence rot caused by Mauginiella scaettae poses a serious threat to date palm in Morocco. The present study aims to determine the antifungal activity of five plant extracts against M. scaettae, including Acacia cyanophylla, Cupressus atlantica, Eucalyptus torquata, Nerium oleander, and Schinus molle and link this effect to their content in phenolics and flavonoids, as well as their antioxidant properties. Plant extracts exhibited significant discrepancies regarding their antifungal activity (p < 0.05). The extracts of E. torquata and C. atlantica had the strongest and dose-dependent manner inhibitory effect against mycelial growth and spore germination. E. torquata and S. molle caused the greatest sporulation reductions of about 88.05% and 36.11%, respectively. In addition, there were significant differences among the examined plant extracts with respect to their total polyphenols (14.52–76.68 mg GAE/g DW), flavonoids (8.75–57.78 g RE/100 g DW), and antioxidant properties as measured by TEAC (74.77–391.23 mmol TE/g DW) and FRAP assays (87.18–474.04 mmol TE/g DW). Strong correlations were found between phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity suggesting that polyphenols play a key role in the observed antioxidant and antifungal activities.
Highlights
Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) has long been a primordial fruit crop in North Africa and the Middle East [1]
Inflorescence rot is one of the most prevalent diseases on date palm. It was first reported in Libya and attributed to the fungal pathogen Mauginiella scaettae Cav. though other fungal species such as ielaviopsis paradoxa, Fusarium moniliform, Fusarium oxysporum, and Fusarium solani were found in rotted date palm inflorescences as well [4]
Plant Materials. e leaves, stems, twigs, and other parts of five plants, namely, Nerium oleander, Eucalyptus torquata, Cupressus atlantica, Acacia cyanophylla, and Schinus molle, were collected during November 2020 as wastes produced during green urban space management in Errachidia city. e identification of these plant species was performed by Dr Homrani Bakkali, a botanist in the National Institute of Agricultural Research, and the specimen of each species was prepared and placed in the herbarium of the same institute. e collected plant material was dried under shade, blended into powder using an electric grinder, and conserved at ambient temperature (25°C) away from light until manipulation
Summary
Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) has long been a primordial fruit crop in North Africa and the Middle East [1]. Inflorescence rot ( named “Khamedj” in North Africa) is one of the most prevalent diseases on date palm. Albedinis, the causal agent of Bayoud disease on date palm, and these properties were attributed to the antioxidant and the richness of these plants in secondary metabolites such as polyphenols and flavonoids [1, 8, 12,13,14]. E objectives of this work are (i) to investigate antifungal effects of aqueous extracts of five plant species (Nerium oleander, Eucalyptus torquata, Schinus molle, Cupressus atlantica, and Acacia cyanophylla) against M. scaettae, (ii) to define their richness in secondary metabolites (polyphenols and flavonoids), and (iii) to measure their antioxidant properties. E objectives of this work are (i) to investigate antifungal effects of aqueous extracts of five plant species (Nerium oleander, Eucalyptus torquata, Schinus molle, Cupressus atlantica, and Acacia cyanophylla) against M. scaettae, (ii) to define their richness in secondary metabolites (polyphenols and flavonoids), and (iii) to measure their antioxidant properties. is work allows the construction of a more comprehensive understanding of mechanisms by which plant compounds may affect the survival and development of M. scaettae
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