In Vitro Efficacy of Some Plant Extracts Against Sooty Canker Disease of Date Palm

Plant diseases control represents a major challenge that farmers are facing in the management of cropping systems. Nattrassia mangiferaeis a fungal pathogen causing sooty canker disease on date palm which is an important disease of date palm In the Northern State of the Sudan causing severe damage of off-shoots, date palm trees and reduction in yield. In present study, the pathogenic fungus was isolated from infected plant parts and identified based on morphological and cultural characters as Nattrassia mangiferae .The in vitro efficacy of different plant extracts Neem ( Azadirachta indica ), Mint ( Menthaspicata ), Ryhan ( Ocimum basilicum ), and Maharab ( Cymbopogon schoenanthus Poximus ).were tested to control sooty canker pathogen. Different concentrations 5, 10, 15 and 20% of plant extracts were tested for their effect on the inhibition of mycialial germination of the fungus. All the plant extracts showed significant inhibition of fungal mycelial growth of Nattrassia mangiferae. Among the different conc. extracts, complete inhibition of fungal mycelial growth was exhibited at 20% of Ocimum basilicum which was found the most effective followed by Mint ( Menthaspicata ) with only retardation of mycelial growth while, Neem ( Azadirachta indica ), and Maharab ( Cymbopogon schoenanthus Poximus was the least effective. Four chemical fungicides namely, Tilt, Benlate, Bayfidan, and Bayliton, at different conc. (10 ppm, 20 ppm, 30 ppm, 40 ppm and 50 ppm) were also used for their effect on the mycialial germination of Nattrassia mangiferae , all of them inhibited the germination the most effective one was Tilt at 30-50 ppm, followed by Benlate while Bayleton and Bayfidan at high concentration 50 ppm inhibited the growth of the fungus. Application of plant extract which are easily available for controlling plant diseases which are non-pollutive, cost effective nonhazardous and do not disturb ecological balance. Investigations are in progress to test the bio efficacy of these extracts in field applications. The effect of plant extract is more effective for controlling the fungus as compare to the fungicides