Phytochemistry and antifungal activity of plant extracts from Nettle (Urtica dioica L.)
Abstract
M. Sehari, M. Kouadria*, M. Amirat, N. Sehari and A. Hassani
The biological properties of essential oils, including pest control, antibacterial and antifungal oils, are currently the subject of a great deal of research around the world to meet the requirements of organic farming, such as the development of biopesticides based on natural plant molecules and effective against thebioaggressors in crops and stored commodities. Fungicide control is mainly based o n the use of chemical pesticides which, unfortunately, lose their effectiveness in the face of pathogenic microorganisms that develop more resistance against them. This chemical control thus becomes ineffective, expensive and dangerous for humans, their agricultur al products and the environment.The problems of the resistance and harmfulness of these synthetic products have led to the need t o find alternatives as effective but healthier. Thus, to reduce the use of chemical pesticides and enhance the value of Algerian flora, we are interested in a marginalized plant species, namely the Nettle (Urtica dioica L.) of the family Urticaceae. Indeed, the extracts of certain plants such as Medicinal and Aromatic Plants "MAP" and their constituents have long been recognized as antimicrobial agents, yet their use in pest control of crops has been very little reported. In this perspective, this study focuses on obtaining aqueous extracts, methalonic and ethanolic plant selects of their effectiveness in the fight against pests crops (especially fungi). In addition, the efficacy tests were conducted as a fungicide on Aspergillus and Fusarium. Our results were very remarkable for both efficacy tests. In fact, the inhibition of the fungi tested was proportional to the concentration applied. In conclusion, we can say that the yield of aqueous extract obtained from the leaves of the tested plant is interesting and its inhibitory effects indicate a certain effect in biological control against the bio-aggressors of the crops and stored foodstuffs.