Abstract:
Chloroform extract of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe.) rhizome, Clerodendrum (Clerodendrum
infortunatum L.) mature leaf and methanol extract of Polyalthia (Polyalthia longifolia) mature leaf were
tested against C. capsici radial growth, biomass production and spore germination on following poisoned
food technique at 20, 100, 200 and 400 μg/ml and carbendazim at 1, 5, 10, 20μg/ml was taken as
standard fungicide control. The effective concentration of plant extracts and fungicide carbendazim were
also tested in vivo and field condition following artificial inoculation by pin-prick method of fully
matured fruits about to ripe harvested chilli fruits. The extracts formulated with solvent and surfactant
(20EC) were sprayed on harvested fruits both before inoulation and after inoculation and incubated in
moist chanmer at 28±1 °C. Under field condition the botanical formulations were sprayed on chilli plnts
bearing mature fruits both naturally and artificial inoculated conditions at 400μg/ml.All the plant extract
formulations showed inhibition of radial growth, biomass production and spore germination with
increased dose relationship. However, the fungicide carbendazim showed highest activity than the
botanical formulations at lower doses. Under In vitro highest radial growth inhibition (57.78%) and spore
germination inhibition (62.70%) at 400μg/ml was observed in polyalthia-methanol and highest inhibition
of biomass production was observed in ginger-chloroform (32.78%). Under in vivo condition, all the
treatments showed reduced lesion diameter but Clerodendrum-chloroform showed less lesion diameter
compared to other treatments while in field condition both in natural infection and artificial infection,
clerodendrum-chloroform showed less percent infected fruits in clerodendrum-chloroform followed by
ginger-chloroform and polyalthia-methanol. Based on the results, the plant extract of Clerodendrum
infortunatum could be developed and used as an effective alternative to synthetyic chemicals for postharvest
anthracnose of chilli both under field and post-harvest condition.
