Preliminary screening of Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf extractives against Poria monticola - a wood destroying fungus.

摘要

The widely recognized superior insecticidal, pesticidal, fungistatic and fungitoxic ability of Neem leaves was investigated against wood destroying brown rot fungus i.e. Poria monticola. Different extractives in petroleum ether+ethanol, acetone, methanol and hot water were prepared and evaluated at different concentrations. Petroleum ether+ethanol and methanol extracts either killed or sufficiently inhibited the growth of fungus, except acetone which has inhibited fungus growth only upto 50% contrary to the hot water extract which promoted the growth of fungus. The hot water extract consist of a large amount of carbohydrate, which might have acted as nutrient principle group, while the petroleum ether+ethanol and methanol gave very intense colouration for phenolics and traces of flavonoids and very slight for carbohydrate. The efficacy of autoclaved and unautoclaved extractives along with malt-agar medium did not reveal any difference against brown rot fungus thus autoclaved material may be used for further study..