Antifungal properties of Musa paradisiaca (Plantain) peel and stalk extracts

Effect of plantain (Musa paradisiaca (L) AAB genomic group) peel and stalk extracts were investigated using percentage inhibition test. Complete inhibition of growth (100%) was observed for Aspergillusniger, Aspergillus oryzae and Rhizopus stolonifer at 1.0 mg/ml concentration of stalk extract. Peel extract inhibited A. niger 100%, A. oryzae 76.67% and R. stolonifer 56.67% at the same concentration. As concentration reduces, growth inhibition reduces also up to the minimum inhibitory concentration. The results of this work justify that the plant extracts were able to inhibit and kill the growth of spoilage fungi and this implies that the extract inappropriate doses can be used in food preservation and to treat infections caused by this spoilage fungi. The results further justify the claim that Musa paradisiaca (L) stalk and peel extract demonstrated antifungal actionin which methanol was seen to be a better solvent for extracting active ingredients from medicinal plants considering the high susceptibility of test organisms to methanol extract than ethanol extract used in this study.Phytochemical screening showed the presence of hydrogen cyanide, tannin, alkaloid, steroid, saponin and flavonoid. The growth inhibition of A. niger, A. oryzae and R. stolonifer by Musa paradisiaca peel and stalk methanol and ethanol extract in this study suggest the presence of antifungal substance in the plant tissue and the possibility of using the extract to control plant pathogens especially where the spoilage fungi used in thisstudy are involved