Svetoslava Terzieva1, Katya Velichkova1, Neli Grozeva1, Nedyalka Valcheva2, Toncho Dinev2
1 Trakia University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Biology and Aquaculture, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
2 Trakia University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Physics, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
Terzieva, S., Velichkova, K., Grozeva, N., Valcheva, N. & Dinev, T. (2019). Antimicrobial activity of Amaranthus spp. extracts against some mycotoxigenic fungi. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 25 (Suppl. 3), 120–123
Plants, their parts and products have been used to treat diseases and pathogens. The aim of the present study was to test different extracts from three species of genus Amaranthus L. – A. deflexus L., A. retroflexus L. and A. hybridus L. for antifungal activities. The plant extracts (methanol and ethanol) from ground and underground plant parts were tested for antimicrobial activity by аgar well diffusion method. Five fungal strains (Penicillium verrucosum var. verrucosum NBIMCC 2003 NRRL F-143, Penicillium expansum, Fusarium graminearum NBIMCC 2294 IMI 155426, Aspergillus ochraceus NBIMCC 2002 IM-BAS, Aspergillus niger) were used. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by measuring zones of inhibition of microbial growth surrounding plant extracts in the wells. The most effective extracts, which showed activity against all tested strains of microorganisms, were A.deflexus and A.hybridus ethanol flower extract, A.retroflexus ethanol root extract and A. retroflexus methanol leaves and stem extract.