Salah M. Saleem

Effect of Mint Leaves Powder (Mentha sp.) on Fungi Associated with Sunflower Helianthus annus L. Seeds

Sunflower Helianthus annus is one of the economically significant crops. During poor storage conditions, seed-borne fungi develop. As a result, it is polluted with mycotoxins and its quality is reduced for various uses Chemical and non-chemical methods to control fungal contamination were used. The current study examined the fungi associated with local products seeds and the antifungal activity of mint leaves powder (MLP) on seeds-borne isolates. Alternaria sp., Aspergillus sp., Cladosporium sp., Fusarium sp., Mucor sp., Penicillium sp., Pythium sp., Rhizopus sp., Trichoderma sp., were isolated from untreated seeds by moistened chamber method. Mixing MLP with sunflower seeds decreased the number of fungal isolates. Aspergillus, Mucor, Penicillium, Pythium, and Trichoderma disappear from tested seed samples after month. Also the seed germination% increase after mixing with MLP (not significant), it indicates that the treatment did not affect the embryo's vitality, the significant characteristic  for the seeds that will be used for planting.