Professional Documents
Culture Documents
205-209
For U Biosciences, A/4A, Park Lane Residency, East Point Colony, Visakhapatnam - 530 017, India.
Phytopathogenic bacteria and fungi exploit the invasion of host tissues takes place, secondary
living plant cells as a main nutrient source. These responses are initiated in the plant, which constitute
bacteria and fungi are highly specialized to of manifestations of the disease symptoms. The
circumvent plant defense system and efficiently major sorghum diseases and their causal organisms
invade host plant tissues and cause diseases. Once are, bacterial leaf spot (Pseudomonas syringae),
bacterial leaf streak (Xanthomonas campestris)
fusarium head blight disease (Fusarium
moniliforme, Curvularia lunata), rust (Puccinea
purpurea), downy mildew (Sclerospora sorghi),
ergot (Sphacelia sorghi), charcoal rot
(Macrophomina phaseolina) and other leaf
diseases (Helminthosporium turcicum,
Colletotrichum graminicola, Cercospora sorghi,
Ascochyta sorghi, Ramulispora sorghi) etc.,
causing grate damage/loss to the crop.
Indiscriminate application because of
* To whom all correspondence should be addressed.
chemical pesticides has caused health hazards in
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206 BOBBARALA et al.: ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS
animal and humans due to their residual toxicity. solvents like chloroform, methanol and water
In recent years a large number of synthetic basing on order of polarity using soxhlet apparatus.
pesticides have been banned in the western world The different extracts obtained were subsequently
because their undesirable attributes such as high concentrated under reduced pressure to get their
and acute toxicity, long degradation periods and corresponding residues. The extracts were
accumulation in the food chain (Bernard et al. screened for antimicrobial activity using the
1997). In developing countries such as India, they method described under the section.
are still being used despite their harmful effects Organisms and Media
(Aron, 1996). Considering the deleterious effects The organisms used were purchased from
of synthetic pesticides on life supporting system, Microbial Type Culture Collection & Gene Bank
there is an urgent need for alternative agents for (MTCC), Chandigarh.
the management of Sorghum pathogenic The strains are maintained and tested on
microorganisms. In this context, green Nutrient Agar (NA) for bacteria and Potato
plants represent a reservoir of effective Dextrose Agar (PDA) for fungi.
chemotherapeutants and can provide valuable Antimicrobial assays
sources of natural bactericides and fungicides The crude extracts of the different plant
(Balandrin et al. 1985; Hostettmann and parts of different species were subjected to
Wolfender, 1997). Reports are available on the use antimicrobial assay using the cup plate method of
of active agents from higher plants (Plant by- Murray et al (1995) modified by Olurinola (1996).
products) in place of fungicides, which are non- 20 ml of nutrient agar was dispensed into
phytotoxic, more systematic, easily biodegradable sterile universal bottles these were then inoculated
and eco-friendly. with 0.2 ml of cultures mixed gently and poured
In this context, it proposed to elucidate into sterile petri dishes. After setting a number 3-
the microorganisms of the antibacterial and cup borer (6mm) diameter was properly sterilized
antifungal activities of certain medicinal plant by flaming and used to make five uniform cups/
extracts on sorghum pathogenic organisms of wells in each petri dish. A drop of molten nutrient
bacterial leaf spot (Pseudomonas syringae) agar was used to seal the base of each cup.
bacterial leaf streak (Xanthomonas campestris) The cups/wells were filled with 50µ–! of
grain mold disease (Curvularia lunata), charcoal the different extracts of 100mg/ml, 200mg/ml
rot (Macrophomina phaseolina) etc. were chosen 300mg/ml, 400mg/ml and 500mg/ml and allowed
to study. In this attempt, Terminalia chebula diffusing for 45 minutes. The solvents used for
(Combritaceae) fruit (Fig.1) extract, shown reconstituting the extracts were similarly analyzed.
significant activity. Hence, this plant is intended The plates were incubated at 37°c for bacteria and
to taken up for detailed study for isolation, 25°c for fungal organisms.
characterization and identification of compounds The standard antibiotic (Streptomycin)
responsible for claimed activity. The chemical and antifungal (Bavistin) drugs were used at
profile work is in the midway. different concentrations to get MIC (Minimum
inhibitory concentrations). The zones of inhibition
MATERIAL AND METHODS were measured with Antibiotic zone scale in mm
and the experiment was carried out in duplicates.
Plant material
The plant materials of 15 different plant RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
species (Table. 1) were collected in and around
the Visakhapatnam district and shade dried. After The data on the antimicrobial activities
complete dryness they are chopped into small of the different plant parts of different species
pieces and are coarsely powdered in a wily mill. against different bacterial and fungal pathogens of
Preparation of plant extracts important crop plant Sorghum are shown in
The extraction method employed here is table 2
a known amount of coarsely powdered plant In comparison with plant extracts
materials were successively extracted with organic Terminalia chebula(Tc) (Fig.1), Hyptis