Abstract

Antifungal potential of water, acetone and methanol extracts of leaves and pits of Phoenix dactylifera L. var. Barhee and Rothana were evaluated against seven pathogenic fungi. For assessing the antifungal activity, agar well diffusion and agar dilution methods were employed. Barring the water extracts, acetone and methanol extracts showed varying degree of growth inhibition of Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium sp., Fusarium solani, Aspergillus flavus, Alternaria alternata, Alternaria sp. and Trichoderma sp. Methanol pits extract was highly effective against most of the tested fungi followed by methanol leaves extract, acetone pits and acetone leaves extract. The most sensitive fungus was A. alternata, its growth inhibition was maximum (51.6%) by methanol pits extract of var. Barhee. 50% inhibitory effect (IC₅₀) of methanol pits extract of var. Barhee against F. oxysporum, F. solani, Fusarium sp., A. alternata and Alternaria sp. was found to be 6.7, 4.9, 3.4, 2.8 and 3.7 mg/ml, respectively.

Key words: Antifungal potential, crude extracts, date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, pathogenic fungi.