High dilution of Belladonna affect the mycelial growth of Corynespora cassiicola in vitro

Authors

  • Romulo Vinícios Fagan
  • Bruno Reis
  • Kátia Regina Freitas Schawan-Estrada
  • Carlos Moacir Bonato

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51910/ijhdr.v10i36.510

Keywords:

homeopathy, Corynespora cassiicola, Belladonna, fungicide

Abstract

Introduction: The target spot is a disease caused by fungus Corynespora cassiicola (Berk. & Curt.) Wei. This disease has occurred in several states of Brazil. It is a late season disease and causes economic losses in various crops such as soybeans [1]. Currently there is no adequate treatment for the control of C. cassiicola in organic cultivation of soybeans, since the application of fungicides for the control and management of diseases is not allowed by Brazilian legislation [2]. Thus, the purpose of this experiment was to test the effectiveness of high dilutions of Belladonna in vitro on mycelial growth of Corynespora cassiicola. Materials and Methods: The preliminary tests were conducted at the Laboratory of Plant Pathology, State University of Maringá (UEM). The fungal isolate of C. cassicola was obtained from Embrapa Soja. The fungus was peaked and grown on PDA (potato dextrose agar) maintained at 25oC ± 2 and 12h photoperiod. Belladonna dilutions (6, 12, 18, 24 and 30dH) were obtained according to the Brazilian Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia [3]. PDA culture medium plus Belladonna dilutions (6, 12, 24 and 30dH) beyond the control containing distilled water were placed in petri dishes after filtration through a Millipore membrane (pore diameter of 0.45µm ). After medium solidification, a disc of mycelium (4 mm diameter) of C. cassiicola was peaked towards the center of each plate and sealed with plastic wrap and then incubated at 25°C with 12h photoperiod. The mycelial growth was measured daily for 8 days. The control consisted of distilled water. The data were analyzed by ANOVA and means were compared by Scott-Knott test (P ≤ 0.05). Results and Discussion: All dilutions of Belladonna (6, 12, 24, 30dH) were effective (p <0.05) in reducing the mycelial growth of C. cassiicola compared to control (Figure 1). Belladonna 30dH was higher in all periods and the difference increased with time. Dilutions 6, 12 and 24dH showed intermediate values but always higher than the control (Figure 1). It is known that the target spot cause pods rotting (seeds) and intense stems spots. When it causes root rot, the symptoms are characterized by yellow leaves and roots of dark-brown color. Thus, productivity is compromised by the lower pod filling and seed. The alternatives currently used are based on the use of fungicides, which increase the cost of production and affect the environment. Thus, the use of ultra-high diluted Belladonna for target spot control may be able to mitigate the damage of this fungus in soybean. Based on these results, we suggest that ultra-high dilutions of belladonna may be able to reduce production costs and at the same time benefit the environment through reduced environmental impact. Conclusion: The results obtained so far are encouraging. Belladonna presents as great potential in controlling the fungal disease caused by C. cassiicola, in vitro.

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Published

2021-12-23

How to Cite

Fagan, R. V., Reis, B., Schawan-Estrada, K. R. F., & Bonato, C. M. (2021). High dilution of Belladonna affect the mycelial growth of Corynespora cassiicola in vitro. International Journal of High Dilution Research - ISSN 1982-6206, 10(36), 245–248. https://doi.org/10.51910/ijhdr.v10i36.510

Issue

Section

Plant and Microorganism Research

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