In vitro screening of medicinal plant leaf extracts against fungal pathogen Beauveria bassiana (Bals) Vuillemin on silkworm Bombyx mori L

Abstract

The silk industry is one of the biggest and oldest textile industries in the world. The silk industry has been a vital source of income for many rural communities, particularly in silk-producing regions. It provides employment opportunities for sericulturists, weavers, and artisans involved in the various stages of silk production. Silkworm diseases have a significant impact on the silk industry, affecting silk production, quality, and overall profitability. There are several common silkworm diseases caused by different pathological micro-organisms. Muscardine is a severe disease that is highly contagious. The estimated loss due to muscardine is around 10–40% of the total loss caused by the different diseases.

The use of chemical fungicides can lead to the temporary suppression of disease outbreaks caused by fungus. However, once the fungicide loses its effectiveness due to resistance or other factors, fungal infections may resurge, posing a challenge to disease management. Due to these limitations, there is increasing interest in developing alternative and more sustainable approaches to managing fungal diseases in silkworm rearing. Medicinal plant products can be used as an alternative to fungicides and reduce the impact of synthetic chemicals on the environment.

In view of the above, the study was carried out with the objective of screening medicinal plant extracts against the fungal pathogen Beauveria bassiana in the silkworm Bombyx mori. For the investigation, 46 medicinal plants were selected based on their antifungal activity and medicinal properties. Among the plants selected for the study, nine plant products have shown effectiveness in inhibiting the growth and development of the fungal pathogen Beauveria bassiana in different solvents.