ABSTRACT
Field experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research farm of
the Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria Nsukka to compare
the activity of Cassia alata leaf extract with two synthetic chemical
fungicides applied as seed treatment on the field performance of Nsukka
yellow pepper. Four accessions of Nsukka yellow pepper seeds were treated
with Apron plus 50 Ds (34% furathiocarb + 10% metalaxyl + 6%
carboxine) and Thiram (tetramety1 thioperoxydicarbonic diamide) each at
the rate of 30g/100kg of seeds while Cassia alata extracts was used for
treatment at the rate of 1ml/100g of seeds. The seedlings were transplanted
into the field 42 days after planting. Data were collected on agronomic
parameters. Cassia alata compared favourably well with the synthetic
chemical fungicide in all the agronomic parameters measured. There were
no significant differences between the effects of Cassia alata and the
synthetic fungicides on plant height at 50% anthesis, number of branches
and number of days to first anthesis. Cassia alata produced better result and
differed significantly (p=0.05) with the synthetic chemicals in quantitative
character, such as number of leaves at 50% anthesis and number of flowers
per plant. The leaf abscission rate was significantly (p=0.05) lower in Cassia
alata treated plants (10.1%) compared with Apron plus 50 Ds (10.32%) or
Thiram (11.79%). Cassia alata also reduced the number of days to 50%
anthesis and number of days to first fruiting (111.7 and 112.7). Evidences in
this study show that, Cassia alata extract has potential as seed dressing
pesticide for Nsukka yellow pepper seeds.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
i
Certification – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
ii
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
iii
Table of content – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
iv
List of tables – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
v
Abstract – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
vi
Introduction – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
1
Literature review – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
4
Materials and Methods – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
10
Preparation of Cassia alata leaf extract – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 11
Seed treatment – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
11
Nursery – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
12
7
Field layout – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
12
Data collection – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
13
Results – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
14
Discussion and conclusion – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
39
References – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Nsukka yellow pepper belongs to the Genus Capsicum in the family
Solaneacae. There are about 100 species of Capsicum. They vary in their
growth forms, flowering time, fruit shape, size and pungency. Most member
of the genus Capsicum originated from wild species except C. anomalum
which originated in the new world (Eshbaugh 1980, Macleod et al, 1982).
Pepper is propagated by seed and attains a height of 42.0 cm to 72.5 cm,
when grown as an annual crop but may attain a height of 130 cm to 160 cm
as perennials.
Pepper is valued directly as food for its pungency, colour and aroma
and indirectly for its products in pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. In
many communities, the Nsukka yellow pepper is highly cherished for its
appetizing aroma. Pepper (Capsicum annum), is an important cash crop but
it is affected by many fungal, bacterial and viral diseases. West, (1938)
isolated Collectricum capsici, which causes fruit rot from Capsicum annum
and Capsicum frutescence. Recently, many fungi organisms have been
isolated from certain crop seeds. For example, IIoba (1980) established the
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presence of Trichoderma padwicki and Drechslera oryzae in Nigerian rice
seeds. Leveilula taurica (lev) Arn is the main causal agent of powdery
mildew on pepper plant (Braun 1980). This fungus Leveillula taurica is
present in tropical regions (Hirata 1968). Alegbejo (1996) reported that
pepper venial mottle virus (PVMV) is a major limiting factor to pepper
production in the wet season in Nigeria.
Pepper is also said to have seed borne, pathogens, which causes
seedling blight, root rot, leaf spot, etc. Many synthetic fungicides (Maneb,
Zineb, Nabam, Thiram and Mancozeb) are known for their efficacy against
seed borne organism (Poachet and Ventura 1963).The problem associated
with their use are irritation of the skin, respiratory tract and eyes. Maneb,
Thiram and Zineb have been responsible for some case of chronic skin
disease in occupationally exposed workers, possibly by sensitization. Hewitt
(1998) reported that there was an urgent need to search for an alternative
control to synthetic fungicides. This is because of the high residual effect of
some pesticides, which have been recognized during the last decade.
Chietwood (1993) reported that higher plants are rich reservoir of
interesting compound with biological activity against phytoparasitic pests.
According to his report, isolating and identifying these naturally occurring
phyto chemicals with biological activity against pest is a logical step in the
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development of new environmentally safe pesticides. The search for a safer
pest control product was directed towards the use of agro botanicals.
Singh Up (1997) found that Phenyl Alanine Ammonia Lyase (PAAL)
and Trosine Ammonia Lyase (TAL) are the key enzymes in phenol
biosynthesis by neem products. These enzymes were earlier found by
Schaeider (1994) to be appreciably higher in rice varieties resistant to
Xanthomonas oryzae than in the susceptible cultivars. Herger et al (1991)
demonstrated that leaf extracts of Regnoutrai sachalinensis the giant knot
weed induced resistance in a number of plants against powdery mildews.
Daayf et al (1995) in their work treated cucumber leaves with leaf extracts
of R. sachalinesis which caused accumulation of phenol that protected the
cucumber leaves against Sphaerotheca fuliginea.
Better alternatives are being studied so as to increase quality food and
blemish free fruit and vegetables. Among these alternatives is the use of
Cassia alata extracts a shrub which grows all year round and flowers during
November to January in the forest areas of West Africa. It is used by local
people for purgation and for control of skin diseases. Their medicinal
properties are due mainly to their content of hydroxyanthracene derivatives.
Cassia alata is used in this study as an alternative fungicide. Thus the
objectives of this study were:
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To determine the effect of Cassia alata leaf extract and synthetic fungicides
applied as seed treatment on the field performance of Nsukka yellow pepper
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