IN VITRO EVALUATION OF FUNGICIDAL ACTIVITY OF BROMELAIN FROM ANANAS COMOSUS AGAINST FUNGAL PHYTOPATHOGENS INFECTING MUSA PARADISIACA

Abstract

Bromelain from Ananas comosus is a mixture of proteolytic enzymes which are cysteine protease inhibitors containing thiol endopeptidases employed as a phytomedical compound. The present study focussed on extraction and characterization of bromelain and to determine its protein concentration and protease enzyme activity. The effect of temperature and pH on the extracted enzyme was also determined. The extracted enzyme was determined for its molecular weight by SDS and characterized for the presence of their functional groups by FT-IR spectroscopy. The purified bromelain of stem showed highest concentration of protein with maximum protease activity when compared to that of fruit bromelain and on characterization by FT-IR was found to contain thiol containing amino groups. The extracted and characterized bromelain was treated against isolated fungal pathogens of Musa paradisiaca. The isolated bromelain was assessed for their enzyme activity and protein concentration in vitro against the isolated fungal spores and determined for its activity. The determined two-way ANOVA indicated that there were significant differences at different concentrations after incubation at varying time period and the effective concentration and time were determined through Turkey post-hoc analysis which showed stem bromelain possess more effective antifungal activity in vitro against fungal phytopathogens of Musa paradisiaca.