Fungicidal Effect of Azadiracta Indica and Zingiber Officinale Extracts in the Control of Fusarium Oxysporum and Rhizoctonia Solani on Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum) Fruits

Studies were carried out on the in-vitro evaluation of plant extracts in the control of some fungal pathogens from tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L) fruits collected from Darawa, Dutsin-Ma and Makera settlements in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area of Katsina State, Nigeria using neem (Azadirachta indica) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) extracts. Rotted tomato fruits were collected from same locations and taken to Biological science laboratory for isolation, identification and subsequently pathogenicity test. Fusarum oxysporum, A. niger, Rhizoctonia solani, F. moniliforme and A. flavus were isolated from the rotten tomato fruits. Pathogenicity tests carried out confirmed that all the isolates were pathogenic on the tomato fruits. The most virulent pathogens (R. solani and F. oxysporum) were controlled, using the two plant extracts at 40g/l, 80g/l and 120g/l levels of concentrations respectively. The result obtained showed that A. indica was more effective in inhibiting the mycelial growth of R. solani at 40g/l (44.90%) and at 120g/l (97.22%) compare with Z. officnale which reduce the mycelial growth of pathogens to 43.83% and 63.31% at 40g/l and 120g/l respectively. The A. indica also proved to be more potent in controlling F. oxysporum at 40g/l, 80g/l and 120g/l with percentage growth inhibition of 37.51%, 40.56% and 45.48% respectively compared with 22.91%, 35.00% and 42.73% of Z. officinale. It is therefore, concluded that extracts of A. indica and Z. officinale can be used to manage fungal growth of tomato fruits by farmers since they have inhibitory effect on fungal pathogens and is easily available and cheap.