Abstract
Fusarium wilt of chili (Capsicum annuum L.) is an important disease in Pakistan that causes significant yield losses. In the present study, pathogenicity test was conducted using four strains of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. capsici and ten chili varieties. It revealed that strain B was the most pathogenic strain and variety sky red was the most susceptible while variety Anchal was the most resistant against F. oxysporum strain B. Antifungal bioassays were conducted to find out antimycotic effect of extracts of fruit, bark and leaves of Eucalyptus citriodora (Hook.) against F. oxysporum. Ten concentrations (0, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 5%) of methanolic extracts of each plant part were employed against the target pathogen. Leaf extract imparted the maximum (up to 98%) and significant suppression in fungal growth while fruit and bark extracts proved less effective exhibiting only 50-60% reduction in fungal mycelial growth. The work concludes that methanolic extract of leaves of E. citriodora have potential to restrain the disastrous effects of the pathogenic fungus as the plant extracts of Eucalyptus conferred about 85% disease control in chilli plants with significantly high intensity of defense related enzymes under pathogenic stress.