ISSN 2167-0447
International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 6 (8), pp. 1119-1127, August, 2016. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
In vitro antibacterial activity of Tagetes minuta and Capsicum frutescens extracts against pectobacterium carotovorum
Nyamari Jackline Kwamboka, Wolukau Joseph Ngwela and Gesimba Robert Morwani
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Faculty of Agriculture, Egerton University, Kenya.
Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Received 12 April, 2016; Accepted 13 May, 2016; Published 16 August, 2016
Abstract
Pectobacterium carotovorum bacteria cause soft rot and vascular wilt of vegetables in the field and post harvest decay. The aim of this study was to determine in vitro antibacterial activity of Tagetes minuta and Capsicum frutescens extracts against Pectobacterium carotovorum. Aqueous extracts of T. minuta and C. frutescens were tested against Pectobacterium by modified disc diffusion method on agar plates and potato chips assay. Streptomycin sulphate and distilled water were the positive and the negative controls respectively. The experiment was set up in a completely randomized design. Data was collected on zone of growth inhibition, number of days to total tissue maceration and %weight loss of potato chips due to tissue maceration. The three concentrations of T. minuta (40%, 30% and 20%) recorded zones of inhibition of 7.167mm, 6.667mm and 6.1mm; and streptomycin sulphate recorded 8.83mm which were significantly different from C. frutescens and distilled water that recorded 0.00mm. In the potato chips assay, T. minuta and streptomycin sulphate showed a significant difference in the number of days (9days) to total tissue maceration and % weight loss from C. frutescens and water that took only 5days for the potato chips to be totally macerated. It can be concluded that extracts from T. minuta have antibacterial activity against Pectobacterium carotovorum.
Key words: In vitro, growth inhibition, Pectobacterium carotovorum, Tagetes minuta, Capsicum frutescens.