Screening of Some Plant Extracts from Toba Regions-North Sumatra for controlling Wood-Rotting fungi

The wood-rot fungus is one of the most destructive organisms for wood, wood products and building structures besides termites and beetles. Until today, wood-root fungi are still difficult to control, so it is necessary to search for new natural ingredients to be developed as wood preservatives. The purpose of this study was to screen some plant extracts from the area surrounding Lake Toba as anti-wood-rot fungi. This study evaluated antifungal properties of 6 different plant extracts dissolved in methanol against 9 species of wood-rot fungi. The activity was determined using the method of Mohareb [1] by growing the fungi on PDA supplemented with the plant extracts. Parameters observed included diameter of fungal growth and inhibition percentage of fungal growth by plant extracts. Extracts of Tithonia diversifolia, Chromolaena odorata, Saurauia bracteosa dan Azadirachta indica displayed extraordinary activity in inhibiting the growth of wood rot, up to 100%, therefore these plant extracts have the potential to be further investigated as wood rot control agent.