Volume 4 Special Issue 1 2010
Focus on Egyptian Plant Science and Biotechnology

ISBN 978-4-903313-46-7

CONTENTS AND ABSTRACTS

Samiha A. Ouda, Fouad A. Khalil, Gamal El Afandi, Mohamed M. Ewis (Egypt) Using CropSyst Model to Predict Barley Yield under Climate Change Conditions in Egypt: I. Model Calibration and Validation under Current Climate (pp 1-5)

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Original Research Paper: The CropSyst model was calibrated and validated using field data of barley grain and biological yield and consumptive use (CU) obtained from a two-year field experiment conducted in 2007/08 and 2008/09 at El-Kalubia governorate, South Delta, Egypt. Six barley cultivars were planted (‘Giza 123’, ‘Giza 125’, ‘Giza 126’, ‘Giza 2000’, ‘Giza 129’ and ‘Giza 130’). The aim of this work was to identify parameters that could be used as indicators of yield stability in barley cultivars, which could be useful under stressful conditions of climate change. The CropSyst model was used to simulate the effect of irrigation rescheduling on barley yield and water use efficiency (WUE). Three parameters were used to test the yield stability of barley cultivars i.e. harvest index (HI), WUE and percentage of irrigation water saved under simulation of irrigation rescheduling (IR). The results of the accurate prediction of the CropSyst model for barley yield and CU suggested that the model can be used with confidence to predict the effect of irrigation rescheduling on yield. Using HI to test the stability of yield revealed that ‘Giza 126’, ‘Giza 129’ and ‘Giza 130’ were characterized by similar HI values in both growing seasons. Regarding the percentage of irrigation water saved under simulation of IR, yield of these three cultivars, in addition to ‘Giza 123’, was not reduced under IR and the amount of saved irrigation water was similar under both growing seasons. The value of WUE under actual irrigation and under simulation of IR was similar in both growing seasons for ‘Giza 126’. Thus, based on the comparative results between the six barley cultivars, it could be concluded that ‘Giza 126’ possesses yield stability traits.

Gamal El Afandi, Samiha A. Ouda, Fouad A. Khalil, Mohamed M. Ewis (Egypt) Using CropSyst Model to Predict Barley Yield under Climate Change Conditions in Egypt: II. Simulation of the Effect Rescheduling Irrigation on Barley Yield (pp 6-10)

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Original Research Paper: The effect of rescheduling irrigation on barley yield grown under heat stress as a result of future climate change was simulated using the CropSyst model. The model was calibrated and validated using data resulted from 2-year field experiments in 2007/08 and 2008/09 growing seasons using six barley cultivars. Two climate change scenarios (A2 and B2) from the CSIRO climate change model were incorporated with the CropSyst model to study the effect on barley yield and water requirements in the year 2039. The results showed that barley yield will be reduced by 17 and 18% when averaged over the six cultivars under the A2 and B2 climate change scenarios, respectively. Furthermore, water requirements for barley will be reduced by 4 and 5% for the above-mentioned climate change scenarios. Moreover, under the A2 scenario, applying irrigation every 23 days would improve barley yield by an average of 2% with no additional increase in the applied irrigation water and applying irrigation every 21 days would increase the amount of applied irrigation by an average of 10%, with an average of 3% improvement in barley yield. In the B2 scenario, in contrast, irrigation every 23 days would attain a 2% yield improvement with 2% saving in the applied irrigation water and applying irrigation every 21 days would improve barley yield by 9% with the application of an additional 8% irrigation water. The most tolerant variety was ‘Giza 2000’, which was least affected by heat stress, produced the lowest yield reduction, responded well to changing irrigation schedules and attained the highest yield improvement. Therefore, ‘Giza 2000’ could be a very good candidate for breeding programs to produce more heat stress-tolerant cultivars.

Wafaa M. Kamel, Monier M. Abd El-Ghani, Mona M. El-Bous (Egypt) Cleomaceae as a Distinct Family in the Flora of Egypt (pp 11-16)

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Original Research Paper: The present paper suggests separating Cleomaceae as a distinct family (with Cleome and Dipterygium) from Capparaceae. It is a more detailed revision to the Egyptian species of Cleomaceae, including morphological descriptions and distribution maps based on a large amount of herbarium material that has been checked. The geographical distribution of the studied species varies greatly. This paper recognized 10 species of Cleome, and also adds further evidence for the suggestion that Cleome gynandra is closely related to Cleome hanburyana.

Mohamed A. Abbas, Wafaa M. Shukry, Samia A. Haroun (Egypt), Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva (Japan), Amr A. Mowafy (Egypt) Biochemical and Physiological Mechanisms Related to Vernalization, Atonik and Benzyl Adenine in Pisum sativum (pp 17-27)

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Original Research Paper: Vernalization at 5°C for 5 days, either singly or in combination with a foliar application of atonik at 250, 500 and 1000 ppm or 6-benzyl adenine (BA) at 25, 50 and 100 ppm was studied on the growth parameters and flowering response, photosynthetic pigments, different carbohydrate and nitrogen fractions, ion contents and endogenous level of different phytohormones of Pisum sativum (cv. ‘Master Bean’). All determined growth parameters (root and shoot length, fresh weight and dry weight; number of nodes/plant; number of leaves/plant; total leaf area/plant; relative water content; number of flowers/plant) decreased in response to vernalization treatment. In contrast, vernalization in combination with 1000 ppm atonik or 50 ppm BA led to a significant increase in these parameters. Vernalization, alone or in combination with atonik or BA, significantly increased all photosynthetic pigments and generally led to a significant increase in different carbohydrate and nitrogen fractions and ion content. On the other hand, vernalization led to a significant decrease in total auxins, gibberellic acid (GA₃) and different cytokinin fractions (zeatin, kinetin and BA) in pea plant shoots; ABA increased significantly. In contrast, vernalization combined with atonik or BA at any concentration led to a progressive increase in total auxins, GA₃ and different cytokinin fractions while ABA decreased significantly compared with control values.

Bahaa El Din Bastawy Mekki (Egypt), Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva (Japan), Salwa Ahmed Ali Orabi (Egypt) Yield, Fatty Acids and Antioxidant Enzymes of Two Canola (Brassica napus L.) Cultivars in Response to Stigmasterol (pp 28-35)

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Original Research Paper: Field experiments were carried out at the Agricultural Experimental Station of the National Research Center at Nobaryia, Egypt during two successive winter seasons (2006/7 and 2007/8) to study the effect of stigmasterol (SS) application (0, 200 and 400 ppm) on yield and its components, antioxidant enzymes, as well as seed quality of two canola varieties ‘Serw 4’ and ‘Serw 6’. Plant height and dry weight/plant increased when SS was increased up to 400 ppm in both cultivars. Also, seed yield/plant, number of seeds/pod, 1000-seed weight, seed and oil yield (kg/ha) increased significantly after application of 400 ppm SS. The highest oil percentage was obtained when 200 ppm SS was applied, which also resulted in the highest oleic acid content in both canola cultivars, but decreased linoleic and linolenic acid contents. The erucic acid content of ‘Serw4’ plants treated with 400 ppm SS reduced slightly from 0.40 to 0.18%, while in ‘Serw 6’ the application of 200 ppm SS resulted in an increase in the erucic acid content from 0.16 to 0.46%. Glutathione reductase (GR) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) gradually increased in ‘Serw 4’ and ‘Serw 6’ as SS increased from 0 to 200 and/or 400 ppm. GR and APX contents were highest in the 400 ppm SS treatment.

Suzan A. Abdallah, Hassan M. Emara, Awatif I. El-Nahas (Egypt) Ultrastructural Responses of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Plants Irrigated by Treated and Untreated Sewage Water(pp 36-41)

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Original Research Paper: Faba bean (Vicia faba L. cv. ‘Giza 2’) seeds were cultivated in untreated (effluent) and treated (influent) sewage water, while control seeds were cultivated in tap water. The ultrastructure of 9-week old leaves and roots was investigated. The effects of biotic agents (fungal endophyte and/or a fungal pathogen(s)) and heavy metals were also demonstrated. Chloroplasts from plants growing in effluent water exhibited ill-defined thylakoids in a very dense stroma whereas those from plants growing in influent sewage water displayed a normal ultrastructure compared to control stroma. Moreover, transmission electron micrographs showed other effects such as advanced vacuolation, dilated rough-endoplasmic-reticulum cisternae and separation of the plasma membrane from the cell wall. Dense cytoplasm rich in ribosomes and lipids, small vacuoles with electron-dense granules was also observed. The common host reactions to the invading fungus were also investigated. Intracellular penetration of the epidermal, cortical, and mesophyll cells by fungal hyphae was also observed. In addition, the host cell wall had a loosely organized fibrillar appearance at the contact sites with the fungal hyphae.

Hassan M. Emara, Safwat A. Elhadad, Mahmoud A. Swelim, Kamel M. Ata (Egypt) Effect of Soil Amendments with Different Chemical Inducers on the Pathogenicity of Ralstonia solanacearum to Tomato and Potato Plants (pp 42-46)

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Original Research Paper: b-amino butyric acid (b-ABA), salicylic acid (SA), calcium oxide (CaO) + urea play important roles in inducing and accumulating phytoalexins in plants. Soil amended with these inducers influenced the presence of Ralstonia solanacearum population density in the soil rhizosphere of both tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. ‘Pinto’) and potato (Solanum tuberosum cv. ‘Spunta’) plants. This led to a reduction in the percentage of infection and disease severity compared to the control treatment. Different concentrations of b-ABA and SA were effective in reducing the pathogenicity of R. solanacearum to tomato and potato plants as well as decreasing the population of bacteria invading their roots. Also, soil amended with CaO + urea influenced the presence of R. solanacearum population density in the soil rhizosphere of both tomato and potato plants.

AME Abd El-Salam (Egypt), Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva (Japan) Field Evaluation in Egypt of Two Biorational Insecticides (Nimbecidine^® and Bio-Power^®) against the Potato Tuberworm, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller) (pp 47-53)

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Original Research Paper: A field experiment was conducted to determine the efficacy of two biorational insecticides against the potato tuber worm (PTW), Phthorimaea operculella. Nimbecidine^® was more effective than Bio-power^®. However, Nimbecidine^® treatments after 3 applications reduced the larval mine of PTW by 79.6 and 43.8% when applied at 5.0 and 2.5 ml/l, respectively while Bio-power^® treatments reduced the larval mine of PTW by 56.7 and 30.85%, respectively after the same applications. Also, plots treated with Nimbecidine^® showed increased potato (Solanum tuberosum var. ‘Filea’) tuber yield (11.53 and 9.8 kg/10 plants) more than those treated with Bio-power^® (9.65 and 8.98 kg/10 plants) and compared with 7.128 kg potato tubers/10 plants in untreated plots. These results indicate that triple application with neem formulation could effectively reduce the P. operculella population. This study also shows that Nimbecidine^® and Bio-power^® could be incorporated into an integrated pest management program of potato tuber moth.

Refat A. Youssef, Mohammed A. Rasheed, El-Sayed I. Gaber, Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva (Japan), Abd El Kader A. A., Nesreen H. Abou-Baker (Egypt) Evaluation of Banana Compost Enriched with Microorganisms on Concentrations of Heavy Metals in Corn and Bean Plants (pp 54-58)

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Original Research Paper: A field experiment was carried out at El Nubaria (North of the Nile Delta) to evaluate the application of banana compost mixed with effective microorganisms on reducing soil and plant pollution by chemical fertilizers. The experiment included 6 fertilizer treatments: control (F₀), 150% compost (F₁), 100% compost (F₂ ≈ 10 ton/fed; 1 fed = 4200 m²), 75% compost + 25% of full recommended NPK (F₃), 50% compost + 50% NPK (F₄) and full recommended NPK (F₅). Under the same treatments and without any new additions, bean (Vicia faba L. cv. ‘Nubaria 1’) was planted to evaluate the residual effect of these organic and chemical fertilizers. Corn grain yield (Zea mays L. cv. ‘Single cross 129’ (white)) was increased by adding a high rate of chemical fertilizers but bean seed yield was significantly increased by using all rates of compost compared with the control in two bean seasons (2005/2006 and 2006/2007). Generally, in the second year the amount of cadmium (Cd) in plant tissues could not be detected. However, in the first season, Cd concentration of green leaves and ear leaves, as well as corn and bean yields increased with increasing mineral fertilizers. Application of mineral fertilizers alone increased nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb) concentration in plant tissue, while the reverse was true for compost. There was a significant positive increase in soil extractable Cd, Ni and Pb due to the application of mineral fertilizers compared to the addition of compost. It could be concluded that organic application had a promising effect on reducing Cd, Ni and Pb concentrations in bean and corn plants and in soil in which they grew.

Godwin Norense Osarumwense Asemota (Rwanda) Alternating Electromagnetic Fields in Plantains (pp 59-75)

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Original Research Paper: Weak, static, varying and high electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and waves derive their origins from both natural and man-made sources. The proximity of biological systems to electrical transformers, high voltage transmission and distribution systems, which operate at low-frequencies (50/60 Hz) have been known to have differing biological responses on animals, plants, microorganisms, human beings and the surrounding environments. For some important agricultural crops, the effects of low-frequency EMFs increased germination, shoot and root lengths; fresh and dry weights; or the release of oxygen. While the above traits were inhibited in some other crops, yet there were no noticeable low-frequency EMFs effects in some other plants. Because of these conflicting results, coupled with the difficult and complicated evaluation of weak electromagnetic fields effects on plants, it was thought to be species-specific. Therefore, extensive literature search, review and plane waves mathematical analyses were used to model the effects of alternating electromagnetic fields in plantain pseudostems. The results show the determination of some important parameters like the Poynting power flow, conductance, conductivity, quality factor, penetration depth, propagation coefficient and Lamor radius for trapped ions of the thermic environment in plantains. Moreover, with suitable materials manufacture, modifications and mimicking, large amounts of power can be transmitted to the load using plantain pseudostems. In addition, the pico-farad capacitance values determined for plantains in this study; require very low voltages to drive digital circuits, reduce the signal-to-noise ratio when compared to analogue circuits and thus, enhance efficiency and performance characteristics in prime industries like energy, entertainment, recreation, transportation and telecommunications, which have become more and more digitalised.

Godwin Norense Osarumwense Asemota (Rwanda) Velocity of Light in Plantains (pp 76-83)

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Research Note: Sunlight and the energy it provides are useful to the growth, development and well being of plants and animals. The velocity of light in plantains and the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation absorbed by plantains for manufacturing its food through the processes of photosynthesis are vital for man and animal life. The velocity of light in plantains was estimated from side budded plantain pseudostem, which was inclined at a specified angle to the horizontal in Lagos Nigeria. As a result, Snell’s law, Maxwell’s equations and the Brewster angle computation were used to obtain the velocity of light in plantains. The property of the normal incident radiation not being refracted in the plantain pseudostem medium until reaching the plantain pseudostem-air interface was used as the main underlying assumption for this study. The results show that the dielectric permittivity of plantain pseudostem was about three times that of air. The velocity of light in plantain was also found to be a fraction of the velocity of light in vacuum. The wavelength of light for plantain obtained in this study was found to be closer to ultraviolet radiation than it is to blue light. This startling discovery reveals that the absorbed ultraviolet radiation has enough energy to break bonds as can be seen from the side bud plantain outgrowth, which was inclined at approximately 60° to the horizontal. Consequently, ultraviolet radiation facilitates photosynthesis in plantains and possibly banana. This contradicts views that blue and red lights are necessary for photosynthesis in all plants.

Godwin Norense Osarumwense Asemota (Rwanda) Evidence-Based Wind-Felled Recovery of Plantains (pp 84-89)

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Research Note: Wind damage and ruin are endemic to the plantain crop all over the world. Apart from pests and diseases that attack plantains, wind effects constitute one of the most devastating and major challenges confronting the plantains and banana farmer. This is especially so with the advent of climate change. Traditionally, wind-felled plantain pseudostems are cut for continued vegetative growth. As a result, any credible recovery method should be a welcome development at loss reduction, sustainable systemic damage control methodology and increased food availability. Rigid support like a fence wall was used to hold uprooted plantain pseudostems at varying inclination angles to the horizontal, in Lagos, Nigeria. Linear horizontal and vertical distances were measured after the side bud plantain shoots occurred to determine the inclination angle. Protractor angular measurements were also taken from the plantain photograph for improved accuracy. The calculated tangent was about 65°, while the protractor measurement was about 60°. Empirical evidence shows that side bud plantain outgrowths were visible for plantain pseudostems inclined approximately 60° to the horizontal, between four and six weeks from the period of inclination. Those plantain pseudostems inclined at about 40° and below withered, while those inclined at 80° to the horizontal showed no side bud outgrowth, but lengthened after about 18 months of dormancy. Also, those plantain pseudostems inclined at about 60° to the horizontal began to fruit after about 18 weeks of inclination. Consequently, plantains recovered by this method fruit much faster than those grown from either suckers or cuttings.

Badru Mugerwa, John Bosco Lamoris Okullo (Uganda) Grafting Success of Pinus caribaea under Varying Shade Intensities at National Tree Seed Center, Namanve, Uganda (pp 90-94)

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Original Research Paper: The effect of shade intensity and grafting methods on grafting success and growth rate of Pinus caribaea was assessed in Uganda by subjecting grafts to different shade intensities. Scion growth and number of new leaves produced were counted and recorded for a period of 16 weeks. One-way ANOVA was used to statistically analyze the results. Shade intensity had a significant effect on height growth (P=0.000) and leaf production (P=0.027) but not on scion diameter growth (P=0.401). Different grafting methods showed a significant effect on scion height growth (P=0.000). Higher mean graft survival was observed with the top wedge method (49%). 95% shade intensity had the highest mean survival with a 38% graft survival. The mean scion height growth rate per week was 0.30 and 0.21 cm for top wedge and splice method, respectively. The mean scion diameter growth rate was higher with the splice method (0.032 cm) than with the top wedge method (0.017 cm). Shade intensity had a significant effect on mean height and diameter growth of scions for 0, 50 and 95% shade intensities, respectively. Although P. caribaea grafts’ survival and scion growth rate are highly influenced by both grafting method and shade intensity, a more extended study is still needed to elucidate the survival and growth rate of grafts in the field.

Francis A. Nkaa, Chuks I. Ogbonnaya, Nwanma B. Onyike (Nigeria) Growth Performance of Three Kenaf Varieties Grown under Water Stress in Eastern Nigeria (pp 95-101)

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Original Research Paper: The effects of water deficit on the growth performance of three certified improved varieties of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L. cvs. ‘Tainung #2’, ‘SF 459’ and ‘Everglades 41’) used for pulp and paper production were investigated. The plants, which were grown in the field on deep sandy-loam soil, were subjected to three irrigation regimes representing well-watered control, moderate stress and severe water stress. Water deficit profoundly reduced all aspects of vegetative growth including plant height, collar diameter, leaf development, branching, flowering and biomass accumulation. The moderate water stressed plants attained an average height of 126.44 cm and severely stressed 99.34 cm and thus reduced height by 23 and 39%, respectively of the control that attained a mean height of 163.44 cm. Collar diameter growth of severely stressed plants were retarded by 43% of the control having a basal diameter of 9.25 mm, moderately stressed retarded growth by 27% and the plants reached a radial diameter of 11.75 mm when compared with the control whose basal diameter growth was 16.14 mm. Although water stress affects all aspects of kenaf growth by reducing the biomass produced, it sometimes improves the quality of plants products.

Marian Dorcas Quain, Priscilla Adofo-Boateng, Beloved Mensah Dzomeku, Adelaide Agyeman (Ghana) Multiple Shoot Generation Media for Musa sapientum L. (False Horn, Intermediate French Plantain and Hybrid Tetraploid French Plantain) Cultivars in Ghana (pp 102-106)

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Original Research Paper: Plantains (Musa sapientum), a major staple in Ghana, encounter several production problems including availability of adequately healthy planting materials at the time the crop needs to be planted. In attempts to improve production, tissue culture methods were employed, using one medium. It was however realized that optimization of in-vitro rapid propagation protocol for mass production of different accessions of Musa was paramount. Excised buds from cultures with proliferating buds were used as explants in this experiment. The cultures of proliferating buds had been generated from excised apical meristem of four Musa varieties (False Horn; local names – Osoboaso and Apantu, intermediate French plantain; local name – Oniaba and FHIA 21, which is a hybrid tetraploid French plantain) which were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), citric acid, and 0-20 µM benzyl amino purine (BAP). The most popular local plantain variety, Apantu, only produced proliferating buds profusely when placed on routine medium (MS medium containing IAA, citric acid and 20 µM BAP). Reducing the concentration of BAP generated an average of more than 4 shoots/culture in 8 weeks. Medium not supplemented with any plant growth regulators also generated an average of less than 2 shoots/culture in 8 weeks. The other three Musa varieties generated 4-8 shoots/culture from proliferating buds, indicating that each cultivar has optimum concentrations at which rapid plantlet formation can be optimized to meet demands for planting material.

Luke N. Ukiwe, Ndubuisi J. Aneke (Nigeria) Hyperaccumulation: An Aspect of EDTA Chelate-Assisted Phytoextraction by Water Hyacinth (pp 107-110)

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Original Research Paper: The hyperaccumulation capacity of water hyacinth (Eicchornia crassipes) using chelate assistance with ethylenediaminetetracetic acid (EDTA) was studied. Results obtained with water hyacinth samples planted in salt solutions of Pb, Ni, Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Co and Cd spiked with EDTA and digested using HCl and HNO₃ showed that Cu was the highest metal absorbed (12.8395 mg/l) while Ni was the least (3.4420 mg/l) at all weights (3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 g) of the salts for all the elements tested. Water hyacinth plants could only absorb 13% Cu in the control experiment (without EDTA) containing salts of the above metals but could absorb as much as 99, 79, 62, and 60% at 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 g, respectively of Cu. For Ni, these values were 27, 24, 19, 12% at 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 g, respectively but 0% in the control experiment. This result indicates that for Ni and Cu, as the weight of salt increased, the amount of metal absorbed decreased.

O. Samuel Olabode, G. Olulakin Adesina, S. Adelani Babarinde, E. Olabimpe Abioye (Nigeria) Preliminary Evaluation of Tithonia diversifolia (Helms.) A. Gray for Allelopathic Effects on Some Selected Crops under Laboratory and Screenhouse Conditions (pp 111-113)

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Research Note: Tithonia diversifolia (Helms.) A Gray leaf extract was evaluated for its allelopathic activity against maize (Zea mays), soybean (Glycine max) and okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) seeds at 38 ± 2°C and 69-75% relative humidity in the laboratory. Screenhouse studies were also carried out on the same crops. The concentrations tested in the laboratory experiment were 100, 50, 20 and 0% of the extract. Maize seed germination was not significantly (P < 0.05) affected by T. diversifolia extract across the concentrations tested. At 100% concentration, T. diversifolia extract significantly lowered soybean germination. There were significant differences in the germination of okra seeds but without a trend. The highest germination percentage (88%) occurred at 100% concentration while the least (80%) occurred at 50% concentration and the control. The screenhouse treatments were: (a) sterilized soil + water, (b) natural soil + extract, (c) natural soil + water and (d) soil under Tithonia canopy + water. The result from the sceenhouse experiment showed that except for the number of leaves of okra, soil under Tithonia canopy + ordinary water did not show any conspicuous negative effect on the tested parameters when compared with the control.

Awodele Olufunsho (Nigeria), Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva (Japan), Alade Akintonwa (Nigeria) Mitodepressive Effect of Four Food Additives Using the Allium Cepa Assay (pp 114-117)

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Research Note: The mitodepressive effect of potassium bromate, sodium benzoate, sodium bicarbonate and ammonium bicarbonate were determined using the Allium cepa Linn. (the common onion) assay. This model was used to determine the effects of these additives on the mean root length, mitotic index and chromosomal aberrations of onion bulbs using 0.25, 0.5 and 1% (w/v) of each food additive. All additives showed a concentration-dependent toxicity on the roots, interfering with mitotic cell division and causing chromosomal aberrations.

James N. Aneke, Chris O. Akalezi, Maximillian I. Chibuike, Emeka E. Oguzie, Luke N. Ukiwe (Nigeria) Proximate Characterization of the Methanolic Extract of Cassia alata Leaves (pp 118-120)

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Research Note: Preliminary phytochemical and spectrophotometric analyses as well as antifungal investigation of the methanol extract of the leaves of Cassia alata were carried out. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponnins and anthraquinones. The extract had remarkable inhibiting effects on Trychophyton mentagrophyte and Microsporum audouinii but no inhibiting effect on Candida albicans. The control (Endix G^®) however, showed remarkable inhibiting effect on these microorganisms. The minimum inhibiting concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) as well as the control were determined for each microorganism. The UV/visible spectra for the extract showed maximum absorbance, 3.21 at 290 nm. The IR spectra absorption bands for the extract were recorded. The spectrophotometric data point to a possible role of anthraquinone in the observed antifungal activity of the extract.