Effect of water extract of Xylopia aethiopica seed and Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides root on rot-inducing fungi of Capsicum annuum and Capsicum frutescens

Abstract

Ot-inducing fungi are responsible for deterioration of fruits and vegetables. This study was to identify rot-inducing fungi on Capsicum annuum and

Capsicum frutescens fruits and assess percentage rot of C. annuum and C. frutescens inoculated with rot-inducing fungi incubated at 28 C ± 2 C for six

days. Water extract of Xylopia aethiopica seed and Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides root at 25,000 mgkgl , 50,000 mgkgl  and 75,000 mgkgl  concentrations was

used to coat the pepper fruits using soft brush before inoculation with the respective fungi isolated from each pepper species. Aspergillus aculeatus and

Aspergillus avus were isolated from rotted C. annuum while Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus avus, Fusarium sp, Penicillium purpurogenum, Aspergillus

aculeatus and Penicillium capsulatum were isolated from rotted C. frutescens. Extract concentration at75, 000 mgkgl was most effective on the rot-inducing

fungi of C. annuum and C. frutescens fruits. Water extract of X. aethiopica seed and Z. zanthoxyloides seed showed potential of reducing pepper fruit rot in

storage.