Exploring the Potential of Castor Oil for Effective Management of Seed-Borne Fungi in Zea mays
Exploring the Potential of Castor Oil for Effective Management of Seed-Borne Fungi in Zea mays
Rahmat Elahi1, Gulnaz Parveen1*, Nazara1, Faryal Ali2, Nain Tara3 and Saba Iqbal1
ABSTRACT
An experiment was conducted in a Plant pathology laboratory at Women University of Swabi in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, to explore the management of seed-borne fungi in maize using castor oil treatment. The study involved collecting and analyzing seeds of various maize varieties such as yellow, blue, white, waxy, and hybrid, sourced from Buner district in KP. Through blotter test and agar plate methods, a total of eight different species of fungi were isolated from five different maize varieties. In the blotter test method, only spores and mycelium of seed-borne fungi were detected, that was further confirmed by the agar plate method revealed the presence of eight different types of fungal colonies in maize varieties, each with varying percentages. Like Trichoderma harzianum colonies accounted for 3.33% of the treated seeds and 13.33% of the untreated seeds. Similarly, Penicillium spp. infection% 13.32% of untreated seeds and Aspergillus niger accounted for 13.32% significantly was less compared to untreated seed. It appears that Fusarium semitectum was found in 13.33% of untreated seeds, while Alternaria solani accounted for 6.66%. However, in the treated varieties, both of these fungi did not appear. Aspergillus niger, on the other hand, had the highest colonies in both treated (46.64%) and untreated (56.66%) seeds. Additionally, Fusarium oxysporum was present in 16.66% of treated seeds and 49.98% of untreated seeds, while Fusarium moniliforme was found in 6.66% of treated seeds and 3.33% of untreated seeds. In this experiment, when comparing the germination percentages of the treated (with castor oil) and untreated seeds across all varieties, the LSD (least significant difference) analysis showed interesting results. By targeting and treating the maize seeds with castor oil, it could potentially help mitigate the adverse effects of these fungi and contribute to a healthier and more productive crop. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of castor oil in managing seed-borne diseases caused by these fungi. This is a promising direction for future research and application in agricultural practices to ensure the seed safety.
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