EVALUATION OF AZADIRACHTA INDICA EXTRACTS IN VITRO ON THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT PHYTOPHTHORA MEGAKARYA CAUSAL ORGANISM OF BLACK POD DISEASE OF COCOA (THEOBROMA CACAO L.)
Abstract
The efficacy of Azadirachta indica (Neam) leaf extract were evaluated on the growth and development of P. megakarya in vitro using ethanol as extraction solvent. Four level of ciude extracts concentration were used viz;25,50,75 and 100% respectively to determine the best concentration at which the extract will be most effective against the pathogen. The fungus Phytophthora megakarya was isolated from infected cocoa pod. Food poisoning techniques was used to determine the toxicity of the neem extracts against the growth of pathogen.5ml of Azadirachta indica extracts were mixed with 20ml of Potato Dextrose Agar(PDA)ito get 25,50,75 concentration, while the undiluted extract was recorded as 100%The plates were inoculated with a 5 mm assay disc cut from 7 day old culture fungus; data were taken staiting from day I after inoculation and the experiment was terminated at 7h day after inoculation. A negative and positive control experiment was set up separately containing distilled waterand reference synthetic fungicide (Kocide) Radial growth of P. megakarya was inhibited by the methanol extracts. It was observed that 100% concentration of ethanol extracts had the highest inhibition percentage on P. megakarya compared to the synthetic fungicide (koicide).
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