Effectiveness of some Plant Extracts as Safe Control Means against Damping-off and Root Rot Diseases in Canola Plants

Canola damping-off diseases root rot and wilt are considerd the most serious diseases that cause considerable losses in canola yeild and quality the causal organisms were isolated from infected root sampeles identificated as Fusarium solani (Sacc), Rhizoctonia solani (Kühn) and Fusarium oxysporum (Schlecht). In this study, aqueous extracts and ethanol solvent extracts of four wild medicinal plants (Moringa olifera, Ocimum basilicum, Cinnamomum camphora and Lantana camara) were evaluated in vitro and under greenhouse for protection of canola plants against root rot and wilt diseases. In vitro, all aqueous and ethanol solvent extracts significantly suppressed linear growth of F. Solani, R. solani and F. oxysporum with different degrees. Moringa olifera, was superior the mycelial growth of all tested fungi. Also, ethanol solvent was more active than aqueous extracts of all tested plants. Under greenhouse conditions, all tested extracts significantly reduced damping-off, root rot and wilt incidence compared with untreated control. Canola plants treated with Moringa olifera extracts gave the highest protection against damping-off, root rot and wilt compared to the other tested extracts. These results suggested that aqueous and ethanol solvent extracts may play an important role for controlling canola root rot and wilt diseases.