Studies on Anti-Fungal Activity of Different Macro Algal Extracts against Soil Borne Pathogen Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc.

Management of soil-borne plant pathogens is one of the single greatest challenges facing modern agriculture worldwide. Seaweeds are considered as a source of bioactive compounds as they are able to produce a great variety of secondary metabolites characterized by a broad spectrum of biological activities. The seaweeds derived compounds showing broad range of biological activities such as antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal activities. The antimicrobial activity of macro algal extracts is generally analysed using various organic solvents which always present higher efficiency in extracting bioactive compounds. Among the different the solvent extracted macro algal extracts tested, methanol extracts of Sargassum wightii recorded maximum mycelial inhibition (88.22 %) and on par with aqueous extracts recorded 85.78% of mycelial inhibition @ 10% concentration compared to other macro algal extracts.. Among the fifteen macro algal extracts, maximum inhibition of mycelial growth was recorded the Sargassum wightii (Brown algae), Ulva lactuca (Green algae) and Gracilaria salicornia (red algae) at different concentrations. In this study, we have shown that Sargassum wightii has antimicrobial potential against the S. rolfsii. Methanol extract was found to be the best solvent for retention of the antimicrobial activity