ABSTRACT

Three plant materials Carica papaya roots and seed and Piper gilincelise seeds were assayed for phytochemicals. Tests revealed the presence of Alkaloids, Havonoids, Tannins, Saponins, Phenols, Terpenoids, Steroids and Glycosides. P. guineense seeds contained 1.63%, 1.11%, 0.83%, 2.64% and 0.66% alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins and phenols respectively. The roots of C. papaya had 0.75% alkaloids, 0.59% flavonoids, 0.34% tannins, 1.40% saponins and 0.05% phenoids while the seeds contained 0.62%, 0.34%, 0.22%, 0.69% and 0.08% respectively of alkaloids, fiavonoids, tannins, saponins and phenols. These differed statistically (P 0.05) from the contents of Piper guineense seeds respectively. The effects of these phytochemicals were evaluated against Colleroti'ichuin destructivuin at 5 concentrations 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the crude extracts. P. guineense strongly inhibited the radial growth of the pathogen and this was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than growth inhibition obtained from treatments with C. papaya root and seed, though not significantly different from henomyl treated cultures regardless of concentration of application. However, on the spore germination inhibition, benomyl had superior effect but was at per with P. guineense at 100% concentration in inhibition effect. Nevertheless these had superior inhibitory effects than C. papaya root and seed treatments. The fungitoxicity of the extracts increased as extract concentration increased. All the extracts reduced the incidence and severity of anthracnose disease of cowpca in i'ivo irrespective of concentration of application and did not differ statistically from henornyl. However, cowpea seedlings treated with C. papaya seed extract had slightly superior leaf area and dry weight than P.guineense seed and C. pap(l'!(1 root treatments as well as benomyl, but they gave better control of the disease which translated into better performance of the plants.