Evaluation of Antifungal Activity of Achyranthes aspera L. and Solanum virginianum L. Leaf Extracts Against Alternaria solani Causing Early Blight of Tomato

The present study demonstrated that leaf extracts of Achyranthes aspera and Solanum virginianum possess significant in vitro antifungal activity against Alternaria solani, the causal agent of early blight in tomato. The methanolic extracts exhibited significantly greater antifungal efficacy than the aqueous extracts, with Achyranthes aspera showing the highest inhibitory activity among the plant-derived treatments. The enhanced activity of methanolic extracts is likely attributable to the efficient extraction of bioactive phytochemicals, including phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, and terpenoids, which act synergistically to suppress fungal growth. Although carbendazim remained the most effective treatment, the promising antifungal activity exhibited by both medicinal plants highlights their potential as environmentally friendly botanical fungicides for sustainable disease management. These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting plant-derived bioactive compounds as viable alternatives to synthetic fungicides. Further studies involving phytochemical characterization, identification of active constituents, formulation development, greenhouse and field evaluations, toxicity assessment, and nano-enabled delivery systems are recommended to validate their practical application in integrated management of tomato early blight.

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