Antifungal activity of homoeopathic medicines towards Alternaria solani of Solanum lycopersicum plant: An in vitro study and on-farm trial

Abstract

Background: The overuse of pesticides has damaged biodiversity, raising concerns about the potential for genetic mutations in humans and other organisms caused by pesticide residues in food. The recent research has demonstrated that homoeopathic medicines can act as fertilisers for plant nourishment. Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate the antifungal activity of homoeopathic medicines in vitro and on-farm trials. Methods: The impact of homoeopathic medicines, Sulphur 30C, Ocimum basilicum 30C and Cuprum metallicum 30C, on inhibiting the mycelial growth of Alternaria solani was studied in-vitro using Agar well-diffusion assay. In an on-farm trial using Solanum lycopersicum (PKM-1 variety) seeds, homoeopathic medicines Sulphur 30C, Cuprum metallicum 30C and Ocimum basilicum 30C, along with a standard fungicide (mancozeb) and water as controls, were evaluated for their impact on plant growth, fruit production and disease resistance, specifically targeting Alternaria solani infection. Results: In this study, Ocimum basilicum 30C showed the highest mycelial growth inhibition at concentrations of 20 μL, 60 μL and 80 μL (62.15%, 62.64% and 71.14%, respectively), followed by Sulphur 30C (58.07%, 61.53% and 69.61%) and Cuprum metallicum 30C (57.33%, 60.59% and 68.45%). In the on-farm trial, the effects of Sulphur 30C, Cuprum metallicum 30C and Ocimum basilicum 30C were found to be significantly greater than that of Mancozeb (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Agro-homoeopathy is a promising alternative to chemical pesticides used in plants, thus promoting sustainable agriculture. All the homoeopathic medicines demonstrated significant antifungal effects, with Sulphur 30C showing higher inhibition against Alternaria solani, indicating its potential value in agriculture.