Abstract
BackgroundIn this study, the potential of extracts and powders of green seaweeds, Ulva fasciata, and Enteromorpha flexuosa was evaluated as biocontrol against the pathogenic soil-borne fungi, Macrophomina phaseolina and Fusarium solani, infecting cucumber plants in Egypt. The antifungal activity of the algal extracts was evaluated in vitro against the pathogens mycelial fungal growth using five organic solvents.ResultsObtained results indicated that mycelial growth inhibition was noticed with F. solani in all algal extracts tested. In M. phaseolina, all algal extracts did not inhibit the fungal growth but affected microsclerotia formation (the main source of the second infection). In the case of F. solani, the highest reduction (68.6%) was noticed, while the chloroform extract of U. fasciata inhibited the radial growth of F. solani to 2.5 cm when E. flexuosa inhibited the radial growth to 4.3 cm as compared with the control (8.0 cm). The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and the infrared spectroscopy analyses revealed that iron-monocarbonyl, cyclononasiloxane, and their functional groups, including amine, ether, etc., might play a core role in the anti-fungal activity of the seaweed extracts used.ConclusionThis work concluded that the macroalgae species with many unique antifungal properties components had an inhibitory effect against soil-borne cucumber diseases. The antimicrobial activity might be explored in the future in numerous diverse applications in agriculture and plant disease control, revealing their actions to control some plant fungal pathogens.
Highlights
In this study, the potential of extracts and powders of green seaweeds, Ulva fasciata, and Enteromorpha flexuosa was evaluated as biocontrol against the pathogenic soil-borne fungi, Macrophomina phaseolina and Fusarium solani, infecting cucumber plants in Egypt
The reduction effect of aqueous extracts of Ulva fasciata and Enteromorpha flexuosa on the mycelial growth of Rhizoctonia solani, F. solani, and Macrophomina phaseolina revealed that all the macroalgae decreased the mycelial radial growth of R. solani and F. solani, but with M. phaseolina, there was no noticeable reduction in mycelial growth for all the tested macroalgae (El-Sheekh et al 2018)
In vitro effect of green algal extracts on fungal growth reduction The antifungal activity of crude extracts, chloroform, methanol, ethyl acetate, acetone, benzene, and aqueous of U. fasciata and E. flexuosa against two pathogenic fungi were determined by dual culture plates with potato dextrose agar (PDA)
Summary
The potential of extracts and powders of green seaweeds, Ulva fasciata, and Enteromorpha flexuosa was evaluated as biocontrol against the pathogenic soil-borne fungi, Macrophomina phaseolina and Fusarium solani, infecting cucumber plants in Egypt. The advantage of using marine algal extracts as a fertilizer due to its fast absorption by the plant within several hours after application and safe to. The uses of marine algal extracts have gained popularity because of their potential use in sustainable and organic agriculture, especially in rain-fed crops, to improve mineral absorption and avoid excessive fertilizer application (Harman et al 2004). Further work is required to find new control strategies more effective and less toxic, like marine algae explored in different regions of the world, and stimulate the growth of different crops
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