Effect of Antifungal Activity of Seaweed Extracts against Soil Borne Pathogens in Pulses

Different seaweed extracts viz., Caulerpa racemosa (green algae), Sargassum myricocystum (brown algae) Gracilaria edulis (red algae) were tested against the growth of root rot and seedling rot of pulses causing pathogens Rhizoctonia solani and Macrophomina phaseolina and its antifungal activity at concentrations of 10, 20 and 30% along with control by poison food technique under in vitro conditions. The result revealed that, the methanol extract of Sargassum myricocystum at 30 per cent concentration showed significant antifungal activity against soil borne pathogens followed by Caulerpa racemosa and Gracilaria edulis.It was observed that Sargassum myricocystum(30%), significantly inhibited growth of two pathogens which recorded the lowest mycelial growth of R.solani (14,26 and 40 mm) and M.phaseolina (23,38 and 42 mm)at 48, 72 and 96 h after incubation.