Seed Priming with Plant Extracts Gives Enhanced Resistance Against Alternaria Solani in Tomato

Abstract

Alternaria solani, the pathogen responsible for early blight disease, poses a severe threat to agricultural crops all over the world. In the quest for sustainable and environment friendly alternatives to chemical fungicides, this study investigates the antifungal potential of extracts derived from five plant species: Azadirachta indica (neem), Citrullus colocynthis (bitter apple), Allium sativum (garlic), Mentha piperita (peppermint), and Moringa oleifera (moringa) against Alternaria solani in-vitro and under natural conditions in a pot experiment. Our results demonstrated varying degrees of antifungal activity among the extracts, with neem and bitter apple displaying the most potent effects against Alternaria solani in an in vitro experiment using poisoned food technique. In another experiment, tomato seeds were primed with these plant extracts by dipping in the extract dilutions for 24 hours. Tomato plants grown with the primed seeds were screened for the development of early blight disease. Again, neem and bitter apple showed enhanced resistance with the least development of disease in tomato, as compared to the control and other extracts. These findings suggest that plant extracts, particularly neem and bitter apple, hold promise as eco-friendly alternatives to chemical fungicides for managing early blight disease. Further investigations are essential to elucidate the mechanisms underpinning the antifungal properties of these extracts and explore their practical applications in agriculture. This study contributes valuable insights into utilizing natural resources for sustainable disease management, aligning with the increasing emphasis on environmentally conscious agricultural practices.