ANTIFUNGAL EFFICACY OF BUTANOLIC ROOT EXTRACT OF CHENOPODIUM MURALE

Abstract

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL) is a very detrimental fungal pathogen that affects tomato crops. This study employed the n-butanol fraction of the root extract of nettle-leaved goosefoot weed (Chenopodium murale L.) to control this pathogen. The dried and crushed roots of C. murale were extracted using methanol. After removing the soluble components of n-hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate, the n-butanol fraction was finally recovered. Laboratory bioassay was conducted using concentrations of this fraction ranging from 1.562 to 200 mg mL-1. The antifungal effect of 12.5 mg mL-1 and greater dosages was significant, with a 48–99% reduction in FOL biomass. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of eighteen phytochemicals in the extract. These included 2-methylnonane (13.20%), 1-hexanol (11.07%), 1-heptanol (10.38%), 3-hexanol (9.55%), γ-sitosterol (6.79%), oleic acid (6.64%), 2-hydroxyoctanoic acid (6.29%), 1-nonyne (6.12%), acetoxyacetone (5.79%), decane (5.39%), palmitic acid (4.95%), 1,1-diethoxypropane (3.54%), acetic acid, hexyl ester (3.11%), methyl oleate (2.37%), stigmasterol (1.87%), β-sitosterol (1.35%), 17-octadecenoic acid (0.93%), and stearic acid (0.56%). A literature survey revealed that the compounds namely 1-hexanol, 1-hepanol, palmitic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid and β-sitosterol are antifungal in nature and may be responsible for FOL control in the current investigation.