title: Aqueous extracts of Tulbaghia violacea inhibit germination of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus conidia.
abstract: Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus are important plant pathogens and causal agents of pre- and postharvest rots of corn, peanuts, and tree nuts. These fungal pathogens cause significant crop losses and produce aflatoxins, which contaminate many food products and contribute to liver cancer worldwide. Aqueous preparations of Tulbaghia violacea (wild garlic) were antifungal and at 10 mg/ml resulted in sustained growth inhibition of greater than 50% for both A. flavus and A. parasiticus. Light microscopy revealed that the plant extract inhibited conidial germination in a dose-dependent manner. When exposed to T. violacea extract concentrations of 10 mg/ml and above, A. parasiticus conidia began germinating earlier and germination was completed before that of A. flavus, indicating that A. parasiticus conidia were more resistant to the antifungal effects of T. violacea than were A. flavus conidia. At a subinhibitory extract dose of 15 mg/ml, hyphae of both fungal species exhibited increased granulation and vesicle formation, possibly due to increased reactivity between hyphal cellular components and T. violacea extract. These hyphal changes were not seen when hyphae were formed in the absence of the extract. Transmission electron microscopy revealed thickening of conidial cell walls in both fungal species when grown in the presence of the plant extract. Cell walls of A. flavus also became considerably thicker than those of A. parasiticus, indicating differential response to the extract. Aqueous preparations of T. violacea can be used as antifungal treatments for the control of A. flavus and A. parasiticus. Because the extract exhibited a more pronounced effect on A. flavus than on A. parasiticus, higher doses may be needed for control of A. parasiticus infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 77000, Summerstrand South Campus, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa. benesh.somai@nmmu.ac.za
authors.forename: Benesh Munilal
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Somai
authors.forename: Vuyokazi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Belewa
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D001231:Aspergillus flavus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005737:Garlic / Q000737:chemistry; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts