Fungicidal Activity of Oriental Medicinal Plant Extracts against Plant Pathogenic Fungi

Methanol extracts from 53 species of oriental medicinal plants in 34 families were tested for their fungicidal activities against Pyricularia grisea, Rhizoctonia solani, Phytophthora capsici, Phytophthora infestans, Collectotrichum dematium, Botryospaeria dothidea, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum, Botrytis cinerea, Puccinia recondita, and Erysiphe graminis. In in vitro study using impregnated paper disc method, the efficacy varied with both plant pathogen and plant species tested. Methanol extracts of Asarum sieboldii roots, Sinomenium acutum roots, Pinus densiflora leaves, Rheum undulatum root barks, Coptis japonica roots, and Phellodendron amurense barks showed potent fungicidal activities against the various pathogens when treated with 10 mg/disc. In a whole plant test, methanol extracts of P. densiflora leaves and roots and C. japonica roots were highly effective against a variety of plant pathogens. As a naturally occurring fungicide, P. densiflora- and C. japonica-derived materials could be useful as new fungicidal products against various plant diseases induced by plant pathogenic fungi.