Study of antifungal activities of bryophytes (MOSSES and LIVERWORTS)
2005
Shirzadian,Sa`id | Afshari Azad, Homayoun | Eskandari, Majid | Mirza`i,Ma`soume
Based on the results of studies made so far on the antimicrobial substances present in the bryophytes, it is proved that, these plants can control some plant diseases caused by fungi and bacteria. Since these natural substances often do not show any adverse effect on both human and animals, therefore, they may be considered as substitutes for the common synthetic plant pesticides. In order to evaluate the antifungal activities of these plants, 23 bryophyte taxa (21 mosses and two leafy liverworts) were collected, washed, dry-powdered and then extracted in different solvents such as water, methanol, ethanol, acetone and petroleum ether. These extracts were mixed with Czapek-Dox (CzA) medium at the ratio of 1:10, and seven different pathogenic fungal species, namely, Alternaria alternata, Fusarium solani, F. oxysporum, Macrophomina phaseolina, Rhizoctonia solani, Verticillium dahliae and Pythium sp. were then grown on these mixtures. Controls were kept free of the plant extracts. Among the collected and studied bryophytes, the broadest spectrum of antifungal activity were shown by the ethanolic extracts of six moss species, namely, Philonotis marchica, Grimmia pulvinata, Plagiomnium rugicum, Haplocladium sp., Bryum pallens and Drepanocladus aduncus followed by a leafy liverwort (hepatic) called Pellia epiphylla. It was also concluded that, ethanol was the most efficient among other experimental solvents.
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