EVALUATION OF ANTIFUNGAL EFFICIENCY OF 3,7-DIHYDROXY 3′,4′ ORTHODIHYDROXY FLAVONE STUDIED IN RELATION TO SOME MORPHOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN PISUM SATIVUM L. PLANTS

Abstract

Objectives: 3,7-dihydroxy 3′,4′ orthodihydroxy flavone isolated and identified from 50% aqueous ethanolic extract [5] and tested positive in antifungal
bioassay against Fusarium oxysporum ciceri [6] was taken up for further detailed analysis of the antifungal property for in vitro study in relation to
Pisum sativum L. plants. The study incorporated a comparison of some morphological parameters such as root, shoot, internode, petiole length,
leaf and leaflet length, leaf and leaflet number/leaf, the total number of flower/plant, pod/plant, and seeds/pod.
Methods: Seeds of P. sativum L. plants were taken up as experimental material for in vitro studies. Six different sets were maintained by presoaking
the seeds with water, 3,7-dihydroxy 3′,4′ orthodihydroxy flavone, and fungicide for 3 hrs. The seeds were grown in pot cultures. At seedling stage,
three sets, one from each treatment, were exposed to fungal inoculum following soil drenching method. At the 21
st
day, 42
day of age,
the above-mentioned parameters were studied.
Results: Results indicated increased growth of internode, petiole, and shoot length in the plants which were administered with the 3,7-dihydroxy
3′,4′ orthodihydroxy flavone. The fungus infested plants exhibited reduced growth of internode, petiole, and shoot length. However, griseofulvin, a
popularly used fungicide showed inhibition of growth of all the parameters in healthy as well as in the infected plants. Flowering time was delayed in
the infested plants. Remarkably again, administration of the plant extract quickened the flowering time as similarly as in the healthy plants. Finally, the
number of seeds per pod in the plant also showed the same promising picture. The 3,7-dihydroxy 3′,4′ orthodihydroxy flavone treated plants showed
higher number of seeds a pod when administered to the healthy and infected plants.
Keywords: Fungicide, Inhibition, Inoculums, Infestation.