Evaluation of Antiphytopathogenic Potential of Schizophyllum commune (Fries)

Abstract

This study investigates the antimicrobial potential of Schizophyllum commune methanolic extracts against several plant pathogenic fungi and bacteria. The extracts exhibited significant dose-dependent antifungal and antibacterial activity across concentrations ranging from 2000 to 5000 ppm. In antifungal assays, Cercospora sp. and Fusarium sp. were the most responsive, showing inhibition zones of 14.00 mm at 5000 ppm. Moderate responses were observed for Colletotrichum sp. and Curvularia sp., with inhibition zones ranging from 3.35 mm to 7.00 mm and 4.50 mm to 7.50 mm, respectively. The least responsive fungi were Alternaria sp. and Bipolaris sp., with maximum inhibition zones of 8.15 mm and 8.65 mm, respectively at 5000 ppm. For antibacterial activity, the methanolic extracts showed strong effects against Pseudomonas sp. and Bacillus sp., with inhibition zones reaching 12.50 mm and 11.50 mm, respectively, at 5000 ppm. Xanthomonas sp. and Rhizobium sp. also demonstrated significant inhibition, albeit at lower levels (10.50 mm and 9.33 mm, respectively). These results confirm the broad-spectrum antimicrobial potential of S. commune extracts, highlighting their possible use as natural agents for plant disease management, particularly for combating Fusarium and Pseudomonas infections. Future research should focus on identifying the specific bioactive compounds responsible for these effects and assessing their efficacy under field conditions.