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Control of white yam (Dioscorea rotundata) rot pathogen using peel extract of water yam (Dioscorea alata)

Okigbo N. Raphael, Enweremadu C. Ebere, Agu C. Kingsley, Irondi R. Chidiebere, Okeke B. Chidi, Awah S. Nsikak, Anaukwu C. Gladys2, Okafor I. Onyedika, Ezenwa C. Uche and Iloanusi A. Confidence

Antimycotic effects of water yam peel extract using ethanol and methanol as extractants at different concentration on post harvest pathogenic fungi were investigated. Pathogenicity test revealed that Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizopus stolonifer, Botryodiplodia theobromae and Trichoderma viride were the causal organisms of deteriorations in the white yam tuber. Gentamicin, ethanol and methanol extracts were effective in controlling the establishment of the test pathogens in vitro and in vivo. Ethanol extract exhibited the highest potency in inhibition with increase in concentration, followed by ethanol extract. This was attributed to the inherent biochemical constituents of water yam peel extracts that was found to contain alkaloids, tannins, flavanoids, saponins and sterols. Gentamicin, though a known strong antibiotic had the minimum total inhibition. The possibilities that these peels extracts used can serve as source of alternatives to chemical control of yam rot is quite obvious