Sains Malaysiana 52(9)(2023): 2545-2557

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2023-5209-06

In Vitro and In Vivo Assays of Selected Plant Extracts against Fruit Rot Fungi

(Asai In Vitro dan In Vivo Ekstrak Tumbuhan Terpilih terhadap Kulat Reput Buah) 

FATIN NABILA SHAARI^1,2 & NUR AIN IZZATI MOHD ZAINUDIN^1,3,*

¹Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang,

Selangor, Malaysia

²Sunway College Kuala Lumpur, No 2 Jalan Universiti, 47500 Selangor, Malaysia

³Laboratory of Sustainable Agronomy and Crop Protection, Institute of

Plantation Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Received: 18 April 2023/Accepted: 5 September 2023

Abstract

Post-harvest losses of crops in Malaysia is estimated at around 20%. Fungal infection is one of the primary causes of post-harvest loss in fruits. The common use of synthetic fungicide to combat fruit rot fungi poses negative impacts on human health and the environment. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of selected plant species as a safer alternative for post-harvest treatment. Ethanolic leaf extracts of Piper sarmentosum, Psidium guajava, and Cymbopogon citratus were tested against Fusarium oxysporum from tomato rot, Fusarium proliferatum from banana rot, and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides from mango rot. In vitro analysis was conducted using poisoned food bioassay and the percentage inhibitions of Fusarium oxysporum growth were 93.50% by Piper sarmentosumextract, 46.68% by Psidium guajavaextract, and 40.48% by Cymbopogon citratus extract. A test on a different fungus, Fusarium proliferatum, showed that Piper sarmentosum, Psidium guajava, and Cymbopogon citratusextracts displayed percentage inhibitions of 88.78%, 36.66%, and 22.44%, respectively. In vitro test on Colletotrichum gloeosporioides showed that Piper sarmentosum extract inhibited the fungal growth by 96.23%, while Cymbopogon citratus and Psidium guajava extract inhibited the fungal growth by 52.62% and 52.22%, respectively. The mechanism of action of these extracts appeared to be fungistatic. Piper sarmentosum was selected for further analysis by in vivo assay as it displayed the most significant anti-fungal action. The study was conducted using Piper sarmentosumleaf extract of various concentrations (25, 50, 50, and 100 mg/mL). The leaf extract displayed dose-dependent activity, with the highest reduction in disease severity observed at concentration of 100 mg/mL. The findings showed the potential use of Piper sarmentosum, Psidium guajava, and Cymbopogon citratus leaf extract as anti-fungal agent for post-harvest treatment to minimize fruit loss. Piper sarmentosum leaf extract showed comparable inhibitory action to commercial fungicide carbendazim.

Keywords: Anti-fungal; Cymbopogon citratus; in vitro; in vivo; Piper sarmentosum; Psidium guajava

Abstrak

Kehilangan hasil selepas tuaian di Malaysia dijangkakan sebanyak 20%. Jangkitan kulat merupakan antara punca utama kehilangan hasil buah selepas tuaian. Penggunaan meluas racun kulat sintetik untuk melawan kulat reput buah menyebabkan kesan negatif terhadap kesihatan manusia dan alam sekitar. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk mengenal pasti keberkesanan ekstrak tumbuhan terpilih yang berpotensi untuk digunakan sebagai pengganti racun kulat untuk rawatan lepas tuai yang lebih selamat. Ekstrak etanol daripada daun Piper sarmentosum, Psidium guajava dan Cymbopogon citratus diuji ke atas Fusarium oxysporumdaripada buah tomato yang reput, Fusarium proliferatum daripada buah pisang yang reput dan Colletotrichum gloeosporioides daripada buah mangga yang reput. Analisis in vitro dijalankan menggunakan kaedah bioasai makanan beracun dan peratus pengurangan pertumbuhan Fusarium oxysporum adalah sebanyak 93.50% oleh ekstrak Piper sarmentosum, 46.68% oleh ekstrak Psidium guajava dan 40.48% oleh ekstrak Cymbopogon citratus. Kajian ke atas kulat Fusarium proliferatummendapati ekstrak Piper sarmentosum, Psidium guajavadan Cymbopogon citratus, masing-masing mengurangkan pertumbuhan kulat sebanyak 88.78%, 36.66% dan 22.44%. Ujian in vitro ke atas Colletotrichum gloeosporioides menunjukkan ekstrak Piper sarmentosum menghalang pertumbuhan kulat sebanyak 96.23%, manakala ekstrak Cymbopogon citratus dan Psidium guajava masing-masing mengurangkan pertumbuhan kulat sebanyak 52.62% dan 52.22%. Mekanisme tindakan ekstrak tumbuhan ke atas kulat menunjukkan tindakan merencat pertumbuhan kulat. Ujian in vivo dijalankan menggunakan ekstrak Piper sarmentosum yang menunjukkan kesan anti-kulat paling ketara berbanding ekstrak lain. Uji kaji ini dilakukan menggunakan ekstrak dengan kepekatan berbeza (25, 50, 75 dan 100 mg/mL). Ekstrak Piper sarmentosum menggunakan etanol menunjukkan kesan bergantung kepada dos dan pengurangan tahap jangkitan penyakit tertinggi didapati pada kepekatan 100 mg/mL. Hasil kajian menunjukkan potensi penggunaan ekstrak Piper sarmentosum, Psidium guajava dan Cymbopogon citratus sebagai agen anti-kulat sebagai rawatan lepas tuai bagi mengurangkan kehilangan hasil buah. Ekstrak daun Piper sarmentosum terutamanya menunjukkan kesan perencatan kulat yang setanding dengan racun kulat komersial carbendazim.

Kata kunci: Anti-kulat; Cymbopogon citratus; in vitro; in vivo; Piper sarmentosum; Psidium guajava

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*Corresponding author; email: ainizzati@upm.edu.my