Antimicrobial Activity of some Indigenous Fumigants

Efficacy of certain indigenous fumigants as anti-microbial agents was evaluated in the present work. Against three test organisms viz.,Bacillus subtilis Ehrenberg, Aspergillus niger V.Tiegh, Aspergillus flavus Link., efficacy of fumes of incense,Garlic,Turmeric,Neem,Vitex, Ficus and cowdung cake were tested.Spore carriers with known concentration of spores were subjected to fumes of indigenous fumigants.The spores exposed were tested for their viability. Viable count of experimental and control plates were compared and the survival percentage was calculated.Garlic fumes and Incense fumes were most effective against bacteria. Fumes of garlic, turmeric, cowdung cake, incense and Ficus exhibited powerful anti-fungal activity. The potential use of indigenous fumigants in sterilization and food grain preservation has been discussed.