Efficacy of Chemical Fungicides and Plant Extracts Against Anthracnose Pathogens of Capsicum Frutescens L.

To evaluate the in vitro antifungal activity of five fungicides viz., Capvit 50 WP, Contaf 5 EC, Greengel 72 WP, Knowin 72 WP and Score 250 EC as well as five plant extracts viz., Acalypha indica L., Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Heliotropium indicum L., Lippia alba L. and Magnolia champaca L. at different concentrations were selected against Colletotrichum dematium and C. gloeosporioides following poisoned food technique. Among the five fungicides, Capvit 50 and Score 250 showed the complete growth inhibition of C. dematium whereas Contaf 5 EC showed the complete growth inhibition of C. gloeosporioides at all the concentrations. Contaf 5 was found as the most effective inhibitor against C. dematium. On the other hand, Knowin 72 and Score 250 were found as the most effective fungicides against C. gloeosporioides. A. indica and L. alba showed highest radial growth inhibition of C. dematium and C. gloeosporioides at 20% concentration. Moreover, A. indica and M. champaca also showed desired growth inhibition of the test pathogens. This study paves the way for the management of C. dematium and C. gloeosporioides causing anthracnose disease of chilli. Bangladesh J. Bot. 50(2): 437-440, 2021 (June)

Keratitis due to a Rare Fungus Colletotrichum dematium: A Case Report

Keratitis is a very serious clinical condition caused by bacteria, fungi or parasites. It is associated with serious complications like blindness or endophthalmitis if remained undiagnosed. A 42-year-old male patient with the history of foreign body inoculation presented with mild pain and redness. After clinical examination, fungal keratitis was diagnosed. Corneal scrapping was sent for microbiological investigation. A very rare fungi Colletotrichum dematium was isolated and identified. Patient was managed with Natamycin tab fluconazole and atropin eye drops. To know the geographical distribution of the rare fungi, more and more cases should be studied and reported, which will help in management of rare fungi and standardisation of therapy.

Prevalence and Pathogenic Potentiality of Fungi Associated With Leaf Spot of Basella Alba and B. Rubra

Two major species of Indian spinach, namely Basella alba L. and B. rubra L. were selected to find out associated mycoflora and their pathogenic potentiality. Ten fungi viz., Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger, Colletotrichum dematium, C. lindemuthianum, Curvularia lunata, Drechslera sacchari, Fusarium semitectum and Penicillium sp. were found to be associated with the selected leaves of Basella spp. Among the isolated fungi C. lindemuthianum, D. sacchari and F. semitectum were found to be pathogenic to Basella spp. Association of C. lindemuthianum and D. sacchari with Basella spp. are recorded first time from Bangladesh. Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 29(2): 183-189, 2020 (July)

Seed-borne pathogenic fungi on some soybean varieties

Soesanto L, Hartono ARR, Mugiastuti E, Widarta H. 2020. Seed-borne pathogenic fungi on some soybean varieties. Biodiversitas 21: 4010-4015. The present study was conducted to detect and identify seed-borne pathogenic fungi in some soybean varieties and their effect on seed germination. Experiment was performed in a completely random design with eight treatments and four replicates. Eight soybean varieties i.e., Malabar, Kaba, Dering, Detam I, Sinabung, Dena, Gepak Kuning, and Slamet were selected for the investigation. Seed borne fungi were isolated using blotter test and agar plate techniques. The variables observed were morphological/cultural characteristics, microscopic features of fungi, and percentage of seed germination. A total of eight fungi namely Aspergillus flavus Link, Aspergillus niger van Tieghem, Cladosporium oxysporum Berk. & M.A. Curtis, Colletotrichum dematium (Pers. et Fr.) Grove f.sp. truncate (Schw.) Arx, Curvularia pallescens Boedijn, Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc., Melanospora zamiae Corda, and Nigrospora sp. Mason were isolated from different varieties of soybean seeds. The highest seed germination was found to be 80.5% in Daring and Detam I varieties, respectively, and the lowest 53% was recorded in Dena variety.

EFFECT OF ANGIOSPERMIC EPIPHYTES ON THE RELATIVE STATUS OF ERGOSTEROL AND ELECTROLYTE LEAKAGE IN FUNGAL PATHOGENS

Objective: In the present study, emphasis has been made to assay the antifungal activity of some angiospermic epiphytes like Cuscuta reflexa, Viscum orientale, Cymbidium bicolor, Bulbophyllum propinquum, Hoya ovalifolia and Dendrophthoe falcata. Methods: The antifungal activity due to epiphytes extracts was expressed in term of reduction in dry biomass of fungi based on the relationship of ergosterol content and electrolyte leakage in fungal pathogens viz., Colletotrichum dematium, Drechslera oryzae, Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium solani treated with epiphytes extract. Results: Treated fungi showed increased in ergostesrol content and increased electrolyte leakage confirmed the pathetic situation of fungi; hence there was fungistatic effect, which was dose-dependent. Conclusion: The angiospermic epiphytes of selected species chosen for the study could be serves an alternative eco-friendly source to synthetic fungicides.

Prevalence of Seed Borne Fungi Associated with Chickpea Seeds and Biological and Chemical Control of Fusarium oxysporum Causing Wilt Disease

A total of 20 chickpea seed samples were collected from BARI, Gazipurand different locations of Savar, Dhaka district. Blotter method was used for detection of the associated fungi of chickpea seeds. Altogether 14 fungi comprising 12 genera namely Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus sp, Botryodiplodia theobromae, Botryti cinerea, Curvularia lunata, Chaetomium globosum, Cladosporium sp., Colletotrichum dematium, Fusarium oxysporum, Macrophomina phasaelina, Rhizoctonia solani, Rhizopus stolonifer and Stemphylium sarciniforme were isolated from chickpea seed samples. Among the fungi isolated fungi, F. oxysporumwas most prevalent with an average incidence of 18.95% and found in all the seed samples. The germination of seed samples varied from 55-90 % on blotter. The pathogenic fungi and other storage fungi like Aspergillus caused lower the germination of the seeds.A pathogenicity test was conducted with 20 isolates of F. oxysporum against their origin of chickpea seed samples in pot culture. The pathogenecity ranged from weak to highly pathogenic. The isolates FO 19, FO 17, FO 11 and FO 18 were highly virulent. The isolates FO 9, FO10 and FO 15 were virulent and rest of the isolates were moderately virulent. The isolates FO 2 and FO 3 were weak pathogen.J. Environ. Sci. & Natural Resources, 10(2): 45-54 2017