Comparative Performances of Aqueous Extracts of Garlic and Selenium Enriched Garlic against Erwinia Cartovora

Abstract

Erwinia carotovora is an important threat for potato cultures, producing the soft rot disease. The strategies of fight against soft rot disease also takes into consideration the possibility of using unconventional, environmentally friendly products, as extracts of garlic (Allium sativum L.), or even selenium enriched garlic as control agents for Erwinia carotovora. The aim of this study is to emphasize the effects of different concentrations of aqueous garlic and organic selenium enriched garlic (Allium sativum L.) extracts upon Erwinia carotovora bacteria isolated from potato. Aqueous extracts were prepared from fresh bulbs of Allium sativum L. and organic selenium enriched Allium sativum L. as 100% concentration, and aliquote parts were isolated in order to prepare 10%, and 20%, dilutions were prepared. The disc diffusion method was chosen for determining antibacterial activity of aqueous garlic extracts. The STATISTICA 7.0 v. soft was used for basic statistics, and testing the significance of differences between experimental variants. The 20% aqueous solution produces a diameter of inhibition was in average of 12.28 mm and 10% aqueous garlic an average diameter of 11.95 mm. The differences were statistically not significant. The most important performances were recorded for 20% aqueous solution of selenium enriched garlic that emphasized the highest activity against Erwinia carotovora (87.71% zone of inhibition).