ABSTRACT
This study was conducted in order to isolate and identify fungi causing rot of banana fruit in Umudike Umuahia to determine the inhibitory effects of 3 indigenous plant extracts in two solvents which were methanol and acetone, the phytochemical components of the leaves of the three indigenous plants was also investigated. The experiment was done in 3 replicates and ANOVA was used to analyze the data gotten after 5 days of inoculation. The results showed the inhibition level of plant extracts on the fungi isolated (Fusarium, Rhizopus, Rhizoctonia) were 72.6 ± 9.9 for plants extracted with methanol at 100% concentration and 78.43 ± 11.3 for plants extracted with acetone at 50% concentration. The acetone extracts of X. aethiopica was more effective than that of Garcinia kola and Vernonia amygdalina in the control of Fusarium spp; the acetone extract of G. kola was more effective than that of X. aethiopica and Vernonia amygdalina in the control of Rhizopus spp and the methanolic extracts of G.kola and X. aethiopica was more effective in the control Rhizoctonia spp than that of V. amygdalina. Phytochemical analysis of the leaves of the three plants extracted with Acetone and Methanol showed that the plants contained Saponin, tannins, alkaloids, phenol, flavonoid and hydrogen cyanide, Though tannins were not detected in the the plants extracted with acetone. However hydrogen cyanide showed a high amount above 1.4 in the plants extracted with acetone. The isolation from rotten banana had the Rhizoctonia spp of a high occurrence in isolated organisms and Rhizopus as the least present in the isolated fungal pathogen of banana rot.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title
page i
Certification
ii
Declaration
iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgement v
Table
of contents vi
List
of tables xi
List
of plates x
Abstract xi
CHAPTER
ONE
1.1
Introduction
1
1.2
Banana 2
1.3
Banana
(Nutritional Quality) 4
1.4
World
Production of Banana 6
1.5
Local
Production of Banana 7
1.6
Importance of Banana 8
1.7
Deterioration
and Spoilage Agents of Banana 9
1.7.1
Post-Harvest Mechanical Damage of Banana 10
1.8
Vernonia amygdalina 11
1.9
Garcina kola 11
1.10
Xylopia aethiopica (Guinea Pepper) 13
1.11
Justification
and Objectives 14
CHAPTER
TWO
2.1 Literature
review 16
2.1.2 Fungi causing rot in banana 17
2.1.3 Biocontrols 18
2.1.4 Vernonia amygdalina 19
2.1.5 Garcina
kola (Bitter Kola) 19
2.1.6 Xylopia
aethiopica (Guinea pepper) 20
2.1.7 Extracts and Concentration 20
CHAPTER
THREE
3.1
Materials and Methods 21
CHAPTER
FOUR
4.1 Results 25
4.1.1 Isolated
fungi pathogens from rotten banana fruits and Pathogenicity Test 25
4.1.2 Phytochemical
analysis Result of plant extracts 28
4.1.3 Effects
of Extracts, Extract Concentration and Extraction Solvent on fungi isolated
from rotten banana fruit 32
CHAPTER
FIVE
5.1
Discussion and recommendation 38
References 40
LIST
OF TABLES
Table 1: Showing the nutritional contents
of banana fruits and their values 5
Table 2: Nutritive Value per 100 g of Banana fruit (Musa
acuminatacolla) 5
Table 3: Phytochemical contents of methanolic
extract of the leaves of the three plants 28
Table 4:
Phytochemical contents
of acetone extract of the leaves of the three plants 29
Table 5: Quantitative result of Xylopia aethiopica, Garcinia kola and
Vernonia amygdalina extracted with methanol 30
Table 6: Quantitative result of Xylopia aethiopica, Garcinia kola and
Vernonia amygdalina in extracted with acetone 30
Table 7: Diameter mean of mycelia growth
and percentage of growth inhibition of methanolic plant extracts 32
Table 8: Diameter mean of mycelia growth
and percentage of growth inhibition of acetone extracts 33
Table 9: Effects of plant extracted with methanol
in the inhibition of mycelia growth 34
Table 10: Effects of Acetone extracts in
the inhibition of mycelia growth 34
Table 11: Inhibitory effectiveness of Xylopia aethiopica extraction medium,
concentration and their interaction across Fusarium,
Rhizopus, Rhizoctonia. 35
Table 12: Inhibitory effectiveness of Garcinia kola extraction medium,
concentration and their interaction across Fusarium,
Rhizopus, Rhizoctonia 36
Table 13: Inhibitory effectiveness of Vernonia amygdalina extraction medium,
concentration and their interaction across Fusarium,
Rhizopus, Rhizoctonia 37
LIST OF PLATES
Plates 1: Showing leaves of X. aethiopica 13
Plate 2: Showing disease free banana inoculated for
pathogenicity test 25
Plate 3: Showing the virulent effect of Rhizopus spp after 3 days of inoculation 26
Plate 4: Showing the result of inoculated
bananas after 3 days 26
Plate 5: Showing the Inoculated banana
after 5 days 26
Plate 6: Showing Rhizoctonia spp culture plate and microscopic view 27
Plate 7: Showing Colletotrichum spp culture plate and microscopic view 27
Plate 8: Showing Rhizopus spp culture plate and microscopic view 27
Plate 9: Showing isolated fungi from
fruits of pathogenicity test 28
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Until
recently the bulk of fruits consumed by Nigerians came from the wild, homestead
gardens and traditional cropping systems. In the traditional cropping systems,
fruit trees like citrus, mango, guava, pawpaw, plantain, banana and pineapple
are encountered as intercrops in the plantation of cocoa and kola, mostly in
the south (Adelaja and Olaniyan, 2000). They are also encountered as boundary
plants, shade trees in villages and sidewalks ‘volunteers’ along village and
township roads (Onochie, 1975). Others are found in front of residential
buildings and behind the yards as hedge rows or ornamentals. In southeast
Nigeria, bananas are unconsciously produced in home gardens and rarely found in
farm lands closer to the farmers’ homestead. With the increasing awareness of
the health, nutritional and industrial potential of the crop banana, attention
is now going into ways and means of increasing the output through large scale
production rather than the hitherto backyard garden approach (Nwai et al., 2012).
Annual
productions of banana are about 20,000 metric tones with an average of 14 to 15
tones per hectare in the state, (IITA 1996). Bananas best thrive in Umuahia,
Aba, and Ohafia Local Government areas of the state where farm land are left to
fallow for over 3years (IITA 1996). Plantain thrives in a well-drained,
fertile, sandy-loam soil of up to pH 4.5 and annual rainfall of at least 1200mm
distributed over at least six months (Adelaja and Olaniyan, 2000). The economic importance of banana makes the
crop an invaluable tree crop in a country like Nigeria where health, nutrition
and dietary implications of foods are of top priority in most intellectual
discourse. In addition to being a staple food for rural and urban dwellers, it
is a source of income particularly for small `holder farmers who produce them
in compounds or income gardens. Bananas are relatively high value products, in
common with most other horticultural crops. The gross value of their annual
production in Sub-Saharan Africa exceeds that of several other food crops such
as maze, rice, cassava, and sweet potatoes (11TA, 1996).
Bananas
based foods contain most of the micronutrients required by both children and
adult for optimum growth and development of the body. The daily dietary
allocations recommended by FAO for children under five years are 14mg of Iron,
10mg of Zinc, and 400μg of vitamin A (Latham, 2001). According to Honfo et al., (2007), the daily consumption
of plantain foods by children provided approximately 0.88mg of iron, 0.26mg of
zinc, and 24.55μg Retinol Activity Equivalent (RAE). Besides, for non-pregnant
and non-lactating women, FAO recommends a daily intake of 48mg of iron, 12mg of
zinc and 800μg RAE of vitamin A (Latham, 2001; Nwai et al., 2012).
1.2 BANANA
Banana is an edible non seasonal fruit by
several varieties of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus Musa. (Merriam Webster online
dictionary) In some countries, banana used for cooking are called plantain. The
fruit is variable in size, color and firmness, but is usually elongated and
curved, with soft flesh rich in starch covered with a rind which may be green,
yellow, red, purple or brown when ripe. The fruits grow in clusters hanging
from the top of the plant. Almost all modern edible parthenocarpic (seedless)
bananas come from two wild species namely Musa
acuminata and Musa balbisiana.
(Austrialia and Pacific Science foundation, 2007) The scientific names of most
cultivated bananas are Musa acuminata,
Musa balbisiana, and Musa paradisiaca
while the hybrid Musa acuminate M. balbisiana, depending on their
genomic constitution (Wikipedia, 2016).
Musa species are native to tropical Indonesia,
Malaysia and Australia, and are likely to have been first domesticated in Papua
New Guinea. (Nelson et al., 2006)
They are grown in at least 107 countries (FAOSTAT), primarily for their fruit,
and to a lesser extent to make fiber, banana wine, and banana beer and as
ornamental plants. Bananas were redistributed and rediscovered for a second
time around the Indian Ocean world carried by the wave of Islam. Referenced in
Islamic literature in the 11th century BCE, Muslim merchants carried the banana
along trade routes to and from various places in South Asia and the Middle
East. By the 1200s, the banana had reached into North Africa and in
Moorish-controlled Spain. It is also likely that Islamists carried the banana from
eastern to western Africa (Wikipedia, 2016).
The word “banana” is thought to be of West
African origin, possibly from the Wolof word banana, and passed into English via Spanish or Portuguese (Banana
Online Etymology dictionary). There is no sharp distinction between
"bananas" and "plantains ". Especially in America and
Europe, "banana" usually refers to soft, sweet, dessert bananas,
particularly those of the Cavendish group, which are the main exports from
banana-growing countries. By contrast, Musa
cultivars with firmer, starchier fruit are called "plantains". In
other regions, such as Southeast Asia, many more kinds of banana are grown and
eaten, so the simple two fold distinction is not useful and is not made in
local language, but in Nigeria we observe the shape distinction in taste and
their uses (Wikipedia, 2016).
The term "banana" is also used
as the common name for the plants which produce the fruit. This can extend to
other members of the genus Musa like
the scarlet banana (Musa coccinea),
pink banana (Musa velutina) and the Fe'ibananas. It can also refer to
members of the genus Ensete, like the
snow banana (Ensete glaucum) and the
economically important false banana (Ensete
ventricosum). Both genera are classified under the banana family Musaceae (Wikipedia, 2016).
All widely cultivated bananas today
descend from the two wild bananas Musa
acuminata and Musa balbisiana.
While the original wild bananas contained large seeds, diploid or polyploid
cultivars (some being hybrids) with tiny seeds are preferred for human raw
fruit consumption. These are propagated asexually from offshoots. The plant is
allowed to produce two shoots at a time; a larger one for immediate fruiting
and a smaller "sucker" or "follower" to produce fruit in
6–8 months. The life of a banana plantation is 25 years or longer, during which
time the individual stools or planting sites may move slightly from their
original positions as lateral rhizome formation dictates (Wikipedia, 2016).
Cultivated bananas are parthenocarpic,
i.e. the flesh of the fruit swells and ripens without its seeds being
fertilized and developing. Lacking viable seeds, propagation typically involves
farmers removing and transplanting part of the underground stem (called a
corm). Usually this is done by carefully removing a sucker (a vertical shoot
that develops from the base of the banana pseudostem) with some roots intact.
However, small sympodial corms, representing not yet elongated suckers, are
easier to transplant and can be left out of the ground for up to two weeks; they
require minimal care and can be shipped in bulk. Individual banana fruits
commonly known as banana or finger average 125grams of which approximately 75%
is water and 25% dry matter (Wikipedia, 2016).
1.3 BANANA (NUTRITIONAL QUALITY)
Unlike in the technologically advanced
countries where fruits are eaten for their taste and pleasantries; for people
in the developing countries of the tropics, fruits may contribute substantially
to the diet when they are in season. Fruits contain organic acids and are a
good fair source of ascorbic acid (Okaka, 1997).
Table
1. Showing the nutritional contents of banana
fruit and their values. (Okaka, 1997).
Table 2. Nutritive Value per 100 g of Banana fruit (Musa acuminatacolla)
(Source: USDA
National Nutrient data base 2016)
Banana is one of the high calories,
tropical fruits. 100 grams of fruit carry 90 calories. Besides, it contains
good amount of health benefiting anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Banana
fruit is composed of soft, easily digestible flesh made up of simple sugars
like fructose and sucrose that upon consumption instantly replenishes energy
and revitalizes the body. Thus, for these qualities, bananas are used by
athletes to get instant energy and as supplement food in the treatment plan for
underweight children (Umesh, 2009).
The fruit holds a good amount of soluble
dietary fiber (7% of DRA per 100 g) that helps normal bowel movements; thereby
reducing constipation problems.
It contains health promoting flavonoid,
poly-phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, zea-xanthin, ß and a-carotenes,
albeit, in small amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers
against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that
play a role in aging and various disease processes. Banana is good source of
vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine); provides about 28% of daily-recommended allowance.
Pyridoxine is an important B-complex vitamin that has beneficial role for the
treatment of neuritis, and anemia. Further, it helps decrease homo-cystine (one
of the triggering factor in coronary artery disease (CHD) and stroke episodes)
levels within the human body (Umesh, 2009).
The fruit is also a moderate source of
vitamin-C (about 8.7 mg per 100g). Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps
the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful
oxygen-free radicals.
According to Umesh, (2009) fresh bananas
provide adequate levels of minerals like copper, magnesium, and manganese.
Magnesium is essential for bone strengthening and has a cardiac-protective role
as well. Manganese is utilized as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme,
superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Fresh
banana is a very rich source of potassium. 100 g fruit provides 358 mg
potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that
helps control heart rate and blood pressure, countering bad effects of sodium.
1.4 World Production of Banana
More than 100 million tons of banana and
plantain were produced worldwide in 2007 according to FAO estimates. Bananas
are grown in nearly 130 countries. Uganda is the largest
producer of banana and plantain in Sub Saharan Africa, followed by Rwanda,
Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon. Banana and plantain are cultivated in a wide
variety of environments. Plants produce fruit every year round, can produce for
up to 100years and are suitable for intercropping. Vegetative propagation is
necessary because they rarely produce seeds are not true to variety (IITA,
2009)
The main markets of banana are North
America, the European community, Japan and countries of Eastern Europe and the
former USSR Develop countries account for 83 percent of world banana imports.
North America and the European countries capture over 60 percent of world
import, while Japan and the ex-USSR about 12 percent. (FAO, 2003)
1.5 Local Production of Banana
Nigeria is one of the largest banana and
Plantain (Musa spp) growing countries
in Africa. Nigeria produces 2.74 million tonnes of banana annually, according
to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). It is also the largest plantain
producing country in West Africa., making the crop one of the important staples
in the country. The main Banana and Plantain growing regions in Nigeria are
found in the South and Central regions of Nigeria, the largest quantities are
produced in Edo, Ondo, Delta, and Ogun States. Other producing states are
Rivers, Cross River, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Imo, Plateau, Osun,
Bayelsa, Kogi, Abia, Anambra and Enugu. Plantain cultivation is not limited to
big plantation but is often grown in small orchards which sometimes go
unnoticed [www.gistmania.com Retrieved 10/5/16].
Musa spp occupies a strategic position for
rapid food production in Nigeria. It is ranked third among starchy staples. The
country’s output doubled in the last 20 years. Production, which is
concentrated in the Southern part of the country, still remains largely in the
hands of small scale farmers. Despite Nigeria’s prominence, Nigeria does not
feature among plantain exporting nations because it produces more for local
consumption than for export. National per capita consumption figures show its
importance relative to other starch staples (FAO, 1986). However, these figures
do not show regional reliance, which is often very important for highly
perishable crops that are usually consumed in or near areas of production. The
consumption of plantain has risen tremendously in Nigeria in recent years
because of the rapidly increasing urbanization and the great demand for easy
and convenient foods by the non-farming urban populations. Besides being the
staple for many peoplein more humid regions, plantain is a delicacy and favored
snack for people even in other ecologies. A growing industry, mainly plantain
chips, is believed to be responsible for the high demand being experienced now
in the country (IITA, 2014).
1.6 Importance/ Uses of Banana
Banana is one of the high calorie tropical
fruits. 100 grams of fruit carry 90 calories, it contains good amount of health
benefiting anti-oxidants, minerals and vitamins.
Banana has been applied in different ways
using different species by many countries all over the world; it has different
preparation and serving methods. Some consume it as fruit, a meal with other
food or drinks, therapeutic purposes, polish for silver wares and leather, as
bio-control of house aphids, as fertilizer, compost. Fresh
"banana-milkshake" with sugar syrup is a refreshing drink.
Bananas have also been used to prepare
fruit jams. Banana fruit sections are a great addition in fruit salads, Banana
chips enjoyed as snack (produced from dehydrated or fried banana). Mashed ripe
banana fruits can be added to cakes, casseroles, muffins, bread-pudding, etc.
Raw unripe banana can be employed as vegetable in recipes. Grilled banana fruit
can be served on cake/ ice cream in the Caribbean style dessert.
In the stores, banana fruits are chosen
based on intended use; greener ones last for more days, while yellow and
brown-spotted bananas are eaten in a few days. The fruit is used in different
forms.
1.7 Deterioration and Spoilage Agents of
Banana
Banana being classified as perishable
underscores the level of moisture as a result deterioration chemically and
biochemically is facilitated by microbiological activities from outside (Okaka,
1997).
Deterioration: According to Tropical plant perishables
by J. C Okaka deterioration refers to the negative changes in quality of foods
mediated by non-biological phenomena; while spoilage is the counterpart term
used when these arise from predominantly biological phenomena.
Microorganisms will grow wherever they
find suitable for growth; all foods are protected from the attack of
microorganism by some sort of covering.
As soon as the protective covering around the food (fruit) is removed,
damaged, bruised or weakened, the cell structure is this organized and
microbial activity sets in. Fruits and vegetables will be attacked mainly by
fungi because all microorganisms have its own growth requirements, so
microorganism best adapt to the nutrient and other conditions in a particular
food environment will now commence growth. Microorganisms are the chief
responsible agents for spoilage of food and the principle involved in the
methods of food preservation is primarily aimed at microorganism control of
growth and activities. Most fungi like molds are especially troublesome in
tropical regions therefore banana should be stored at approximately 24.6°C as a
safe temperature for storage (Okaka, 1997).
1.7.1 Post-Harvest Mechanical Damage of Banana
High postharvest losses are among the major
problems limiting the availability of plantain in the country. As a result of
poor handling, postharvest diseases are commonly seen on fruits sold in the
country (IITA, 2014). The fact that most large farms are always located inside
the forests, far away from road access, makes the produce to stay on heaps for
several days by the road side. In the late 1980s, transportation of this crop
by rail to other non-producing regions was common, but the absence of a current
rail system and adequate road network to most farms now hampers easy distribution
to non-producing areas (IITA, 2014).
Decrease in the level of losses
encountered in post harvest activities on fruits can be done through; improved
packaging and handling at all stages of movement. Once the mechanical damage is
avoided to a minimum as much as possible; the probability of infection by
pathogenic microorganisms is achieved because poor packaging, poor handling and
conveying from place of production to place of need contributes a lot.
Okaka stated in his book that Improvements
in post- harvest handling technology to limit physical processes on perishable
fresh plant foods may require nothing more than ensuring that produce is
handled in small limits in shallower containers which prevent crushing of
underlying produce by the weight of those above. Research has shown that
impact, abrasion and guasi-static loading affect the post-harvest behavior of
plantains and bananas. To reduce abrasion loss in plantain and bananas they are
usually hung or packed in crates for transportation and storage; as the
abrasion significantly increases banana moisture loss and reduce green life
especially with less mature fruit (Okaka, 1997).
1.8 Vernonia
amygdalina (Bitter leaf)
Vernonia
amygdalina is a small shrub
or small tree of the family Asteraceae it is 2-5m tall, with petiolate elliptic
leaf of about 6mm diameter and elliptic. The leaves are green in colour with a
characteristics bitter taste. It is commonly called bitter leaf in English as a
result of the bitter taste. It is known in Nigeria local languages as Onugbo
(Ibo) etidot (Ibibio), ewuro (Yoruba), oriwo (Edo), chusar-doki
(Hausa). Elsewhere in Africa it is called ndole
(Cameroon), tuntwano (Tanzania), mululuza (Uganda). It grows under a
range of ecological zones in Africa and produces large mass of forage and is
drought resistant (Audu et al .,
2012)
V.
amygdalina is found in
homes, in villages as fence post and pot-herbs. The cooked leaves are a staple
vegetable in soups and stews of various cultures. They are used as local
medicine against leech which causes bilharziasis. Free living chimpanzees eat
the leaves, if they have attack by parasites. It is used instead of hops to
make beer in Nigeria (Audu et al.,
2012). V. amygdalina has also been
observed to be eaten by goats in the central zone of Delta state V. amygdalina extracts and isolated
chemical constituents have been studied for potential pharmacological effects.
It is used for the treatment of Amoebic dysentery and reduces fever. The leaf
of Vernonia amygdalina extract is
used in medicine as anti-malarial, antimicrobial, laxative, anthelmintic and
antithrombotic; the phytochemical screening of the plant has revealed the
presence of saponins, glycosides, tannins and flavonoids (Audu et al., 2012).
1.9 Garcina
kola (Bitter kola)
Garcinia
kola (Heckel), an angiosperm,
belonging to the family Guttiferae, is known in commerce as bitter cola. It is
found in Benin, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon,
Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone (Adesuyi et al., 2011). Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist
lowland forests it grows abundantly in the rain forest of West Africa. On
chewing, G. kola seed has a bitter
astringent and resinous taste, somewhat resembling that of raw coffee, followed
by a slight sweetness (Adesuyi et al.,
2011).
Bitter cola is a highly valued ingredient in
African ethno medicine because of its varied and numerous uses which are social
and medicinal; thus making the plant an essential ingredient in folk medicine.
Example it is used by African medicine men as anti-parasitic, purgative and
antimicrobial (Adesuyi et al., 2011;
Iwu et al., 1999).
Across the places where it grows it is
known by various names such as bitter kola, male kola (English name), orogbo (Yoruba), Akuilu (Igbo) and Namijingoro
(Hausa). It is also known as false kola
mainly due to
the absence of
stimulants which characterizes
the kola nut seeds. It is also known as male kola due to the reported
aphrodisiac properties of Garcinia kola
(Adesuyi et al., 2011).
G.
kola seed is also used
in the treatment of liver disease and diarrhea (Iwu et al., 1999). The biological activities of flavonoids include
action against allergies, inflammation, free radicals, and hepatoxins
(Terashima et al., 2002). In Congo, a
bark decoction G. kola is taken for
female sterility and to ease child birth, the intake being daily till
conception is certain and then at half quantity throughout the term. The bark
is added to that of Sarcocephalus latifolinus- which has a strong reputation as
a strong anti-diuretic, in the treatment of urinary decongestion and chronic
urethral discharge. In Ivory Coast, a decoction of the bark is taken to induce
the expulsion of a dead fetus, while the seed and the bark are taken for
stomach pain. In Sierra Leone, the roots and bark are taken as a tonic for
sexual dysfunction in men. The bark is also added into palm wine to improve its
potency. In Nigeria, a cold water extract of the roots and bark with salt are
administered to cases of bronchial asthma or cough and vomiting (Iwu et al., 1999).
1.10 Xylopia
aethiopica (Guinea Pepper)
Xylopia
aethiopica is a tall
evergreen, aromatic tree, growing up to 20m high. It is in the lowland
rainforest and moist fringe forest in the savanna zone of Africa. It is made up
of several body parts; the leaves, fruits, seeds, stem barks and root barks. It
is commonly known as Ethiopian pepper or African guinea pepper or Negro pepper
and in native Igbo language as Uda
(Enemchukwu et al., 2014).
Plate
1: Showing leaves of X.aethiopica
Its seeds have both medicinal and
nutritional values
and is used as spices,
postpartum tonics and remedy or treatment for many ailments like bronchitis,
asthma, rheumatism, neuralgia and amenorrhea in women Xylopia aethiopica have been used in many herbal preparations to
produce xylopic acid, a substance which has been found to have antimicrobial
effects (Karioti et al., 2004). The
seed extract of Xylopia aethiopica
has also been reported to have antibacterial (Asekun and Adeniyi, 2004; Konning
et al., 2004; Kuete, 2010), antifungal
(Tatsadjieu et al., 2003),
anti-plasmodial (Boyom et al., 2003),
anti-hypertensive and diuretic Somtova et
al., (2001) effects. It also has antioxidant activity (Karioti et al., 2004) and cytotoxic effects on a
wide range of cancer cell lines (Ju et al.,
2004). It has also been reported that the seed extracts of Xylopia aethiopica contain plant lipids that enhance healing from
diverse ailments due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
(Azeb et al., 2004). Xylopia aethiopica seeds are beneficial
to man’s health owing to the fact that they are immune stimulants and immune
boosters (Bendich, 1993; Al-Mamary, 2002). Xylopia
aethiopica seeds are mainly used traditionally as spices and condiments or
as pepper substitute in Europe, Asia and Africa. In Southern Nigeria Xylopia aethiopica seeds have been
administered medicinally as postpartum tonic to women that gave birth to arrest
bleeding and induce placental discharge by traditional birth attendants. The
seeds have also been used to stimulate fertility in women and restore the
uterus to normal condition after birth. The sauce is usually given to women
after delivery to relieve pains, promote healing and to facilitate lactation.
1.11 JUSTIFICATION
Post-harvest
use of chemicals on crop is often regulated by law due to their
carcinogenicity, tetratogenicity and non- biodegradability or pollutive nature.
But biological control is generally favoured as a method of plant disease
control (Okigbo and Ikediugwu, 2000; Okigbo, 2002; 2005). In other words plants
extracts have mostly been applied to control rot of different plants by other
researchers; most have given good results while some need proper
investigations. Therefore it is paramount to try out methods for controlling
post harvest rot that is safe to human health, the environment and affordable. The present research work investigating
the relative effectiveness of methanolic and Acetonic extracts of Vernonia amygdalina, Garcina kola and
Xylopia aethiopica on the casual organisms of post-harvest banana rot is
one such consolidating investigation. There has also been paucity of
information on the effects of the tree samples extract on the fungi causing
banana spoilage.
Objectives:
To isolate the fungi pathogens causing rot
in banana
To investigate the fungi-toxic effects of
the different extracts and two different concentrations on the pathogens
To compare the effects of the extracts
from the different solvents on the pathogens
Login To Comment