Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

hello!!!!!!!!

My project is all about the insecticidal and fungicidal property of Duranta erecta fruit extract....... Can you give me some help in making my methodology........... plzzzzZZZZ.......

Hi,

Yes, we are here to help! But you need to give us some info about what you are interested in testing. Do you want to look at the insecticidal propertites of your fruit extract or the fungicidal ones?

Also what kind of a lab/equipment do you have available to you? Do you know the rules of your science fair about which organisms its ok to use?

Have a read of the posts by Sareena, Called positive and negative controls to see how she is testing a plant extract called curcumin for its antibacterial properties. Also have a look at the posts by Natalie called alternative medicines to see how she is testing cranberry extract. This might give you some ideas about if you wanted to test fungi that can grow on agar in petri dishes.

If you wanted to test insecticidal activity i would suggest using the fruit fly drosophilia. Here is a similar type of project using drosophila
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Can ... feine.html

Post back with your ideas and we will help you develop them.
Best of luck,
Caroline

Hello!!!

Thank you very much!!!! I decided to test only the fungicidal property of Duranta erecta fruit extract.... The fungus that I will use is Mycosphaerella fijiensis. They causes the disease called Black Sigatoka... I am going to test it by antifungal assay....

Can you give me a site that talks about where does Mycosphaerella fijiensis and how it enters the body of the banana?.....

Thank in advance!

Hi,

Thats really interesting. I had never heard of Mycosphaerella fijiensi before but it looks as though it is a very important pathogen to fight.

Try searching Mycosphaerella fijiensi or Black Sigotoka and Infection. I didn't find any comprehensivesources of information but many of them talk about the spores and also about how to prevent the fungus by removing affected leaves.
http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/health/4025.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sigatoka
So it looks as though it attacks the leaves rather than the fruit of the banana. But if you know a little bit about plants, then you know that because the leaves are responsible for making energy and taking in oxygen that any plant with bad leaves will become sick and so the fruit will not grow properly and the plant may eventually die.

Best of luck,
Caroline

Thank you very much!!!!!!...... Now, I have found the answers to my questions........

More power!