Antifungal effect of Clitoria ternatea L. leaf extract on seeds of Pisum sativum L. in relation to some biochemical parameters

Abstract

During the last few decades raising of anti-hazardous eco-friendly formulation for therapeutic purposes has gained immense importance. Hence the present work was taken to investigate any bio control measure in Clitoria ternatea L. leaf extract in relation to protecting Pisum sativum L. seeds against Fusarium oxysporum attack. Different types of extracts of Clitoria ternatea (viz. petroleum ether, chloroform and 50 % ethanolic extracts) was tested against Fusarium oxysporium for its antifungal activity by agar cup method. Active fraction was also tested on Pisum seeds for its efficiency to protecting seeds against infection caused by F. oxysporium. The experiments include estimation of few physiological and biochemical parameters like sugar, amino acid, protein, proline, phenol and nucleic acid in the healthy and Fusarium oxysporum infested seeds of Pisum sativum L. The 50 % ethanolic leaf extract of Clitoria showed antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum ciceri and extract treatment exhibited increased level of biochemical parameters compared to that of fungus infested seed sets. The study revealed that the change in the levels of sugar, amino acid, protein, proline, phenol and nucleic acid caused by the fungal infestation was protected by treatment of the infested seeds by administration of the test sample C. ternatea L. by presoaking method. From this study it may infer that the 50 % ethanolic leaf extract of Clitoria ternatea L. has antifungal activities and it can be used to protect the Pisum sativum seed from the attack of Fusarium oxysporium.