Biorationals in the Suppression of Sooty Mold Fungus, Capnodium spp. (Camille Montagne) established on the coconut whitefly honeydew

Özet

Sooty mould, Capnodium spp., a saprophytic fungus from the phylum Ascomycota, produces dark-coloured colonies on plant surfaces smeared with honeydew of coconut whitefly. This study explains eco-friendly biorationals, comprising plant extracts, organic materials, and microbial agents, to control the growth of Capnodium spp. Morphological analysis revealed distinct hyphal septation and conical black spores, providing insights into Capnodium fungal development. Experiments were conducted using 35 plant extracts, of which 12 showed significant antifungal properties. Inorganic pesticides cannot be sprayed on coconut to control whitefly, as the spray may reach the households, especially waterbodies at households. Extracts of Acorus calamus (Sweet flag) exhibited the highest inhibition (98.61% at 50% concentration), followed by Allium sativum (Garlic, 84.06%) and Asparagus racemosus (Shatavari, 84.72%). In contrast, extracts of vermicompost tea showed no inhibitory effects, while fermented cow urine and distillery spent wash reached 100% inhibition of fungal growth. In microbial agents, Trichoderma spp. completely inhibited fungal growth, whereas Pseudomonas fluorescens exhibits no effect. The results explained that plant extracts with organic compounds or microbial agents provide solutions as an alternative to chemical fungicides. Combining extracts could provide an eco-friendly and sustainable strategy for managing Capnodium spp., reducing crop losses and increasing agricultural sustainability. These findings contribute to the growing body of research supporting biorational approaches as viable, environmentally safe options for fungal management. Field-scale applications are to be tested, and the effect of the biorationals on coconut whitefly also has to be determined.