Smallholder farmers play a major role in crop production towards household food security, particularly in resource-poor communities. Maize is a common crop produced in smallholder farming and it is cultivated from seeds that has been stored and re-used for years. Spoilage of stored grains is a major challenge, which leads to yield loss and poor seed quality. The objectives of this study were to evaluate in vivo antifungal activity of selected plant extracts against Fusarium pathogens on maize seeds, and to evaluate their phytotoxicity on seed germination and seedling growth. Fresh leaves collected from eight medicinal plants were dried and selectively extracted with water, ethyl acetate or acetone. The dried extracts were evaluated for antifungal activity against Fusarium pathogens (F. proliferatum, F. oxysporum, F. subglutinans, F. verticilloides, F. semitectum, F. chlamydosporum, F. solani, F. equisite and F. graminearum) inoculated on maize seeds. Melia azedarach acetone extract showed strong antifungal activity (97% inhibition) against F. proliferatum while combined acetone extracts from Combretum erythrophyllum and Quercus acutissima exhibited 96%, 67% and 56% inhibition against F. verticilloides, F. proliferatum and F. solani, respectively. With the exception of Quercus acutissima ethyl acetate, none of the extracts significantly inhibited seed germination when compared to untreated seeds. This study showed that plant extracts could control Fusarium diseases without any adverse effects on maize seed germination or plant growth.
Keywords: Fusarium species; maize seeds; medicinal plant extracts; seed germination; smallholder farmers.