Author(s)

M. Elaigwu^1*, H. O. A. Oluma², C. U. Aguoru², A. Onekutu³

¹Department of Integrated Science, College of Education, Oju, Nigeria.
²Department of Botany, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria.
³Department of Zoology, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria.

This study investigated the phytochemical screening of some plant extracts against aflatoxin producing fungi in sesame (Sesamum indicum). The plants are Prosopis africana, Psorospermum febrifugum and rhizome of Curcuma longa. Various parts of the plants were dried, grounded and extracted in methanolic solvent. The preliminary phytochemical screening of methanol extracts for stem bark, leaves and rhizome of Curcuma longa revealed the presence of saponins, flavonoids, steroids, cardiac, glycosides, terpenoids, phenols and tannins. The result of anti-aflatoxigenic activity indicates that methanol extracts of these plants show significant activity against the fungi isolates. The effect of plants extracts on mycelia growth of the test organism reduced the mycelia growth significantly as compared to the control (Plate 6 (a-f)). In view of the efficacy of the activity of the plant extracts, it could be concluded that these medicinal plants possess antifungal properties that can be exploited for the control of aflatoxin in sesame. Further works are needed to investigate the biological active ingredients of these plants.

Aspergillus spp, Plant Extracts, Aflatoxin, Phytochemical Analysis

Elaigwu, M. , Oluma, H. , Aguoru, C. and Onekutu, A. (2020) Screening and Phytochemical Analysis of Some Plants Extracts against Aflatoxin Producing Fungi in Sesame, Benue State, Nigeria. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 11, 344-353. doi: 10.4236/ajps.2020.113025.