ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF THREE FERN EXTRACTS ON CAUSATIVE AGENTS OF GROUNDNUT EARLY LEAF SPOT AND RUST DISEASES

Antimycotic activity of three fern extracts from Hemionitis arifolia (Burm.f.) Moore., Pteridium aquilinum (Linn.) Kuhn. and Christella parasitica (Linn.) H. Lev. were evaluated against groundnut early leaf spot and rust disease causative agents viz., Puccinia arachidis Speg. and Phaeoisariopsis personata (Berk & M.A. Cuortis) Vanarx., espectively by mycelial dry weight method. Both the fungi were sensitive to all the three fern extracts tested. Among the extracts, chloroform extract of H. arifolia was found to have maximum antifungal activity against both fungi. Between these two fungi, P. personata was found to be more sensitive to the tested plant extracts than P. arachidis. From this study it is concluded that chloroform extract from H. arifolia can be utilized for managing rust and leaf spots diseases on groundnut.