Ecology & Safety, Volume 10, 2016

Abstract: The oat root tips are known to contain saponins called avenacins that have antimicrobial activity. We tested antifungal activity of oat root extract against fungal pathogens isolated from cereal crops to investigate whether the extract could inhibit the germination, germ tube growth and colony development of the fungi in vitro conditions. Seven fungal species isolates causing root and crown rot in cereals included in this study were Drechlera victoriae, Culvularia sp., F. oxysporum, F. accuminatum, F. poae, F. avenaceum, and F. moniliforme. The germination at 18 hours after treatment (hat) in control plugs was more than 96% in all fungal isolates; however it varied greatly among the isolates treated with oat root extract. A total inhibition of Culvularia sp. conidia was observed in treated plugs, whereas the least sensitive isolate against oat root extract was F. avenaceum; 90% of the fungus’s conida germinated at 18 hat. No germ tube growth of Culvularia sp. and F. moniliforme was visible at any time point. Germ tubes of the other fungal isolates extended to some degree. Four different oat tip extract concentration was incorporated into potato dextrose agar medium: 1, 2, 5 and 10 oat root tip/ml agar medium. The most sensitive fungal isolate was Culvularia sp., whereas the least sensitive was F. avenaceum. The results prove that antifungal compounds found in plants can be used as an effective control measure by either classical breeding or gene transformation into economically important crops.