Journal of Plant Pathology Archive

Abstract:

Leaf extracts of Pistacia vera, Pistacia atlantica, Schinus terebenthifolius and Schinus molle were investigated for their antimicrobial effect against Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi, Fusarium solani and Rhizoctonia solani. Extracts were prepared from dried and powdered leaves with solvents (hexane, ethanol, methanol and water) with different degrees of polarity. Aqueous and methanolic extracts exhibited a high level of antifungal and antibacterial activity. Leaf extracts from P. atlantica showed a high level of antibacterial activity. However, leaf extracts from Schinus terebenthifolius and Schinus molle showed the best antifungal activities. Total polyphenol contents of extracts was positively correlated with the diameter of the inhibition zones suggesting their potential antimicrobial activity. A preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, flavanoids and alcaloids. These findings suggest that leaves of Pistacia and Schinus spp. are potential sources of antimicrobial compounds.