Varietal difference in antifungal activity of some species of Agave

Abstract

Crude leaf extracts of different Agave species were eluted out with the help of 80% methanol for their antifungal activity. The activity of A. americana, A. ferox, A. montana, A. marginata, and A. scabra were evaluated against brown rot fungi Postia placenta, the causal agent of wood decay of some economically important plants using a media poising method. The percent inhibition of hyphal growth was measured after the seventh day of incubation. A. montana shows the highest percent inhibition, 69.31%, of hyphal growth. These data suggested that the different Agave species analyzed have potential as antifungal agents with a broad range of activity. In the future they may be used as biocontrol agents to cure plant diseases without harming them.

Keywords:

• Postia placenta
• Agave
• antifungal activity
• biocontrol agents

Acknowledgements

This work was carried out as part of “Physiological and Biochemical studies on Agave” with financial support for CAS Programme by Department of Education, Government of Gujarat, India.