In vitro Efficacy of Plant Extracts on Seed Germination and Fungal Infection of Six Varieties of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

The fungitoxicity of six plants extract viz., Allium sativum L., Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f., Datura metel L., Gynura procumbens Merr. and Thuja occidentalis L. were evaluated on seed germination and fungal infection of six wheat varieties (BARI Gom 25-30) at 5, 10 and 20% after 3, 5 and 7 days of incubation. After 7 days of incubation highest germination percentages of seed viz., 96, 94 and 92 were recorded in BARI Gom-25, BARI Gom-27 and BARI Gom-28 after being treated with A. sativum, respectively. After 7 days of incubation highest germination percentages of seed viz., 96, 94 and 96 were recorded in BARI Gom- 26, BARI Gom-27 and BARI Gom-30 after being treated with T. occidentalis, respectively. After 7 days of incubation highest germination percentages of seed viz., 96, 96 and 94 were recorded in BARI Gom-25 BARI Gom-26 and BARI Gom-27 after being treated with G. procumbens, respectively. BARI Gom-25, BARI Gom-29 and BARI Gom-30 varieties showed lowest fungal infection viz., 8, 4 and 4% owing to A. sativum plant extract, respectively at 20% concentration after 7 days of incubation. BARI Gom-25, BARI Gom- 26, BARI Gom-27, BARI Gom-28 and BARI Gom-30 varieties showed lowest fungal infection viz., 8, 6, 4, 4 and 4% owing to T. occidentalis plant extract, respectively at 20% concentration after 7 days of incubation. BARI Gom-26 and BARI Gom-30 varieties showed lowest fungal infection viz., 6 and 4% owing to A. indica plant extract, respectively at 20% concentration after 7 days of incubation. BARI Gom-25, BARI Gom-27 and BARI Gom-30 varieties showed lowest fungal infection viz., 8, 4 and 4% owing to C. limon plant extract, respectively at 20% concentration after 7 days of incubation. The present investigation suggests that A. sativum, A. indica, C. limon, G. procumbens and T. occidentalis plants can be used as best botanicals for increasing seed germination and inhibiting fungal infection of wheat varieties.