FUNGICIDAL FORMULATION BASED ON ESSENTIAL OILS OF CYMBOPOGON CITRATUS, LIPPIA MULTIFLORA AND NATURAL CLAY IN CONTROLLING SORGHUM SEED-BORNE FUNGI

Abstract

The fungicidal properties of formulation based on essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus, Lippia multiflora and swelling clayey powder containing montmorillonite (26 wt.%), iolites (21 wt.%), kaolinite (7 wt.%), orthoclase (20 wt.%), quartz (15 wt.%), goethite (2 wt.%) and hematite (4 wt.%) with specific surface area of 34.68 m2/g have been tested against sorghum seed-borne fungi, on two varieties (Framida and Kapelga). Aromatized powders were applied at 100 g and 800 g for 5 kg of seeds and the infection levels were evaluated after 7 days of incubation compared with untreated seeds and seeds treated with synthetic fungicide. The aromatized powders exhibited moderate to strong antifungal activity against the fungi Fusarium moniliforme and Phoma sorghina in both varieties. The mass formulation of 800 g for 5 kg of seeds showed the best antifungal activity. Clay-C. citratus oil formulation was the most potent as compared to the synthetic fungicide in the two varieties. It reduced P. sorghina infection by 87.50% and 92.85% in Framida and Kapelga respectively. F. moniliforme infection was reduced by 40.74% and 74.15% respectively in Kapelga and Framida. The findings suggest that formulation based on essential oils adsorbed on swelling clayey material can be considered as alternative to synthetic fungicide for use in controlling sorghum seedborne fungi.