Inhibitory Effect of Vernonia amygdalina Leaf Powder on Rhizopus stolonifer and Fusarium sp of Tomato Plants in a Greenhouse

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effect of different concentration of Vernonia amygdalina leaf powder against the fungal disease of Tomato plants in a greenhouse. The research was carried out in a greenhouse at the Federal College of Forestry in Jos, from February to April 2018. 2 × 3 factorial in completely randomised design was used. A total of 20 diseased tomato plants and 120 healthy tomato seedlings were collected from 3 different farms in Farin gada, Jos. Tomato seedlings were grown on sterile soil packaged in polythene bags mixed with Vernonia amygdalina leaf powder at different concentrations of 100, 150, and 200 g and inoculated with Rhizopus stolonifer and Fusarium specie isolated from diseased tomato plants. the isolates were pre-grown in sterile peptone water for 72 hours and replicated thrice. Inoculated non-amended soil served as control. The Effect of Vernonia amygdalina leaf powder against inoculated fungi was determined by tomato plant heights, root length and number of the leaf after eight weeks of transplanting. Data were analysed using one way ANOVA at P = 0.05. The result showed an inhibitory effect at different concentrations with significant difference among all treatment. 50 g of Vernonia amgydalina powder against Fusarium specie gave the highest activity which is revealed in plant height =54.33, number of leaf =31.11 and root length = 19.50. The result obtained indicated that Vernonia amgydalina leaf powder could serve as a biological agent in prevention and control of the tomato plants soil-borne disease.