EFFECT OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF GINGER ON THE CONTROL OF FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH TOMATOES FRUIT ROT IN JOS NORTH FEDERAL COLLEGE OF FORESTRY JOS

ABSTRACT Tomatoes are an attractive cash crop for small scale famers and provide potential source of employment to many rural and urban. The excessive use of synthetic fungicides has led to concerns over health, environmental safety and resistant fungal strains. The study investigate on the effect of aqueous extracts of Zingiber officinale on the control of fungi associated with tomatoes fruit rot in selected market in Jos. A total number of 10 infected and 10 uninfected tomatoe were collected. Infected tomatoes were inoculated into PDA pure culture were obtained. Identification of the fungi was done by macroscopic microscopic examination. The fungi isolated from the infected tomatoes were identified as Aspergillus niger and Yeast. The pathogenicity test was determined and the results showed that the fungi isolated were responsible for the spoilage with Yeast causing the most rapid rot and weight loss while Aspergillus niger cause the least rot and weight loss. The sensitivity test was carried out to determine the antifungal effect of aqueous extract of ginger on the identified fungi at different concentration 0.5mg/ml, 1.0mg/ml, 1.5mg/ml and 2.0mg/ml. the result showed that the extract at 2.0mg/ml was most effective on fungi isolated. The data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and mean were separated using Duncan Multiple Range test. The result show that there is a significant different at p value