ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH SPOILAGE OF Citrus sinensis (SWEET ORANGE) AND ITS TREATMENT USING LEAF EXTRACTS OF Vernonia amygdalina (BITTER LEAF) AND Occimum gratissimum (SCENT LEAF)

The fungi toxic properties of scent leaf Ocimum gratissimum and bitter leaf Vernonia amygdalina on the infected sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) were tested in vitro using distilled water as control. Five pathogens were isolated and confirmed using pathogenicity tests. Leaf extracts of two different plants scent leaf and bitter leaf were assessed for inhibition effect on the radial growth of the diseases while aqueous extracts reduced the radial growth of the fun gins. It is hoped that more efforts will be added to know more about the no efficacy & herbal treatments of plants disease become of its readily availability, cheapness, safety and econ friendliness of the plant extracts. Subsequent research in this area expected to identify the active principals that are present un these plants, and find way to specifically using them in the control of fruit pathogen, thereby providing the much needed economic benefits from orange cultivation and production