Antiviral Activities of Selected Medicinal Plants II: Effect of Extracts of Diospyros barteri, Diospyros monbutensis and Sphenocentrum jollyanum on Cowpea Mosaic Viruses

The hexane and methanol extracts of various morphological parts of Diospyros barteri Hiern, Diospyros monbutensis Gurke and Sphenocentrum jollyanum Pierre were screened for their effectiveness in the control of four mosaic viruses affecting cowpea (CMeV, CYMV, BICMV, and CABMVa). The methanol leaf extract of D. barteri at 1mgml -i concentration level was found to be more effective in the control of Cowpea Aphid-Borne Mosaic Virus (CABMVa - Onne strain) than all the other viruses investigated. Further investigation to prove the effectiveness of the D. barteri methanol leaf extract was carried out serologically by using the ELISA technique. The ELISA results confirmed the effectiveness of the D. barteri methanol leaf extract in the control of CABMVa (Onne strain) at 1mgml -i concentration level.