Antifungal Potential of Neem Seeds and Onion Bulb Extracts on Anthracnose Disease of Sweet Pepper

Sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) production is seriously restricted by anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum spp., leading to significant yield losses globally. Dependence on synthetic fungicides has raised serious concerns over fungal resistance, environmental contamination, and human health risks, necessitating ecofriendly alternatives. This study investigated the antifungal potential of aqueous extracts from neem (Azadirachta indica) seeds and onion (Allium cepa L.) bulbs against anthracnose in sweet pepper under controlled pot conditions. The design employed weekly foliar applications of 200 ml/m² neem seed extract, onion bulb extract, or untreated control on anthracnose-inoculated plants. Parameters assessed were leaf number, plant height, fruit yield, disease severity and agronomic efficiency index. Both extracts significantly improved vegetative growth, increased fruit yield, and reduced disease incidence compared to the control. Neem seed extract exhibited slightly better performance in promoting leaf retention and plant height. Strong positive correlations were observed between growth traits and yield, while disease severity showed significant negative correlations with productivity. The findings reveal that neem seed and onion bulb extracts effectively suppress anthracnose, improve plant performance, and offer promising eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic fungicides for sustainable sweet pepper cultivation.