Interactive effects of some botanicals and Fusarium spp. on the growth of millet seedlings

Abstract

Millets are economically important cereal crop with high protein contents that benefits man and animals. However, the cultivation of this cereal in Southwestern Nigeria is greatly affected by some soil borne pathogens, of which Fusarium species has been reported. Hence, this study investigated the interactive effects of some pathogenic Fusarium species (F. anthophilum, F. scirpi, F. verticillioides and F. oxysporum) and aqueous botanicals on the growth of millet seedlings. In vitro and in vivo studies of Mangifera indica and Jatropha caucas (0.15, 0.30 and 0.45 mg/ml concentrations), Moringa oleifera, Manihot esculenta and Senna alata (0.05, 0.10 and 0.15 g/ml concentrations) were conducted. The Extracts and Concentration levels, Fusarium species, as well as time of observation, recorded significant (p<0.05) effects with respect to the millet seedlings growth. However, high significant (p<0.01) interactions were obtained from Extracts x Fusarium species, Extracts x Concentration levels, Concentration levels x Time of observation and Extracts x Concentration levels x Time of observation. The order of efficacy of the extracts showed that; J. curcas > M. indica and M. oleifera > M. esculenta > S. alata increases with concentration levels and time of observation, thus, significantly (p<0.05) antagonized the pathogenic effect of the Fusarium species. This study therefore, provides valuable information on the interactive treatments that best enhances the optimum performance of the botanicals against the pathogenic Fusarium species of millet seedlings.