In-Vitro Evaluation of Selected Botanicals and Essential Oils against Fusarium oxysporum Causing Wilt of Okra

Fusarium wilt of okra, caused by Fusarium oxysporum, is one of the most destructive soil borne diseases affecting okra. Chemical fungicides are being used to manage this disease; however, their continuous use leads to pathogen resistance, possess risks to human health and negative effect on the environment. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop natural, less toxic and eco-friendly alternative for disease management. In present work, plant extracts of neem, lemon, and garlic were evaluated at the concentrations of 10%, 20%, 30%, while essential oils were tested at 0.5%, 1%, and 2% against Fusarium oxysporum under in vitro conditions. Among the plant extracts, neem and garlic exhibited significantly higher inhibition of mycelial growth at 30% concentration compared to lemon extract. Among the essential oils, cinnamon oil showed higher antifungal activity followed by clove oil and neem oil particularly at the 2% concentration. Based on these findings, it is concluded that selected plant extracts and essential oils possess considerable potential for in vitro management of Fusarium wilt of okra