ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF DRYOPTERIS NIGROPALEACEA PLANT POWDER AGAINST FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM AND ITS EFFECT ON MORPHOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES OF TOMATO UNDER POT CONDITIONS

Fungal pathogens in crops are being controlled by using synthetic fungicides, but all these fungicides have adverse effects. Herein, the antifungal activity of Dryopteris nigropaleacea (Dn.) and its allelopathy was investigated first time by soil amendment in pots against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol) in terms of morpho-biochemical attributes at conidial densities of Fol 1, 2 and 3 (1×107, 2×107, and 3×107 CFU/mL). Morphological, molecular, and phylogenetic analysis of fungal culture isolate (FI 3005) confirmed that our isolate resembled Fol with 98% similarity index with MW497420 F. oxysporum. High concentrations of plant powder of D. nigropaleacea were found to be inhibitory in nature. Incorporation of Dn 1 concentration (0.025%) of D. nigropaleacea was found to be the most feasible concentration as it resulted in an increase in morphological and biochemical parameters of tomato plants by decreasing the disease incidence (DI) and disease severity (DS) by 60 and 65.2%, respectively, and by improving antioxidants like superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT). Area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) was also reduced by 50% for both DI and DS in Dn 1 treated plants, when compared with Fol 3, after 80 days of inoculation.