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Papers by Bongani Kubheka

Research paper thumbnail of Ethnomedicinal and Other Ecosystem Services Provided by Threatened Plants

CRC Press eBooks, Mar 22, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of UPLC–QTOF/MS tentative identification of phytochemicals from Vernonia amygdalina Delile acetone and ethanol leaf extracts

Journal of Medicinal Plants for Economic Development

Research paper thumbnail of Ethnobotanical Survey of Plants Used by Subsistence Farmers in Mitigating Cabbage and Spinach Diseases in OR Tambo Municipality, South Africa

Plants

Annually, significant crop losses are reported due to diseases caused by phytopathogens. Most sub... more Annually, significant crop losses are reported due to diseases caused by phytopathogens. Most subsistence farmers cannot afford the high cost of chemical treatments thereby resulting in the increasing dependence on plant extracts to manage crop diseases. In this study, we documented plants used for the management of cabbage and spinach diseases in OR Tambo Municipality, Eastern Cape Province. An ethnobotanical survey using semi-structured questionnaires was used to document plants and plant parts used by the subsistence farmers in managing cabbage and spinach diseases. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to 41 consenting subsistence farmers from November to December in 2021, using snowball sampling. The collected data were subjected to descriptive statistical and ethnobotanical analyses. A total of 17 plants belonging to 10 families were identified by the participants as being used in mitigating cabbage and spinach diseases. Tulbaghia violacea, Aloe ferox, and Capsicum ...

Research paper thumbnail of Integrating microdosing of fertilizers with biological control agents for maize production in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Pathology. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2015.

Research paper thumbnail of Trichoderma: A Biofertilizer and a Bio-Fungicide for Sustainable Crop Production

Trichoderma [Working Title], 2022

Trichoderma has been studied widely. It has been found to play a major role in agricultural produ... more Trichoderma has been studied widely. It has been found to play a major role in agricultural production. Around the world scientists and farmers have taken advantage of this knowledge. It is reported to improve plant growth of many crops such as tomato, lettuce, maize, beans, cabbage sugarcane and many more crops. There are two broad categories where Trichoderma plays a major role which is its use as a biofertilizer as well as a biofungicide. Its use as a biofertilizer has been aggravated by its ability to produce volatile compounds, ability to solubilize phosphates making them available to the plant. Moreover, farmers use it as a biofertilizer because it improves the uptake of macro and micro nutrients by the plant. As a biofungicide, Trichoderma is not to control many pathogens from various crops. This includes the control of pathogens such as Rhizoctonia, Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia, Sclerotinia, Phythium, Fusarium, Sclerotinia species and Galumannomyces. The mechanisms used by Tric...

Research paper thumbnail of In vitro and in vivo screening of Bacillus spp. for biological control of Rhizoctonia solani

The increasing concerns about chemical pesticides that are environmentally hazardous and the cont... more The increasing concerns about chemical pesticides that are environmentally hazardous and the continuous development of resistance by palhogens to chemical pesticides have led to this study. Many studies have shown that some Gram-negative bacteria, such as Pseudomonas jlouresens, control plant diseases and promote plant growth. In this study Gram positive bacteria, Bacillus sp., were chosen because of their ability to produce endospores. Endospores can be used in stable, dry formulations. The advantage of using endospores is their ability to survive harsh conditions such as droughts and high temperatures, which give a long shelf life to the biological control agent. Bacillus isolates were recovered from the rhizosphere of 12 different crops, and were subsequently screened in vitro for their antimicrobial activity. Of 130 isolates, 87 exhibited antimicrobial activity against the test organisms: Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium sp., Phytophthora cinnamoni, Fusarium sp., and single representatives of Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria, namely, Erwinia carotovora and Staphylococcus aureus respectively. The Bacillus isolates B77, B81 and B69 inhibited all the test organisms investigated, which suggests that they produced broad spectrum antimicrobial compounds or more than one antimicrobial compound. Of the isolates that showed antimicrobial activity, 78 of them did not inhibit Trichoderma harzianum K D, which is a registered biological control agent; indicating their potential for combined application. Selected Bacillus isolates were tested for the biological control of R. solani under greenhouse conditions in wheat, cabbage, tomato, maize, and cucumber seedlings. Bacillus isolates were applied as seed treatments, and the inoculated seeds were planted in R. solani infested speedling trays. Shoot dry weight measurement of seedlings indicated that 12 out of 19 Bacillus isolates showed significantly different shoot dry weight in wheat whereas all the isolates tested in tomato and cucumber gave significantly different shoot dry weight. No significantly different shoot dry weight was obtained for maize or cabbage. Seed emergence findings indicated that none of the Bacillus isolates IN VIVO FIELD-TESTING TO DETERMINE THE EFFICACY OF SELECTED BACILLUS ISOLATES IN IMPROVING CROP YIELD AND CONTROLLING RHIZOCTONIA SOLANI IN MAIZE AND GREEN BEANS .

Research paper thumbnail of An integrated approach to managing Rhizoctonia solani on maize in marginal soils: field studies

Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection

A study was conducted over two seasons in a marginal soil with an acid saturation of 54%. A plant... more A study was conducted over two seasons in a marginal soil with an acid saturation of 54%. A plant growth promoting rhizobacterium, Bacillus megaterium, a commercial biocontrol agent, Trichoderma harzianum Strain kd (Eco-T®), and soluble potassium silicate were used in this study. The objective was to control maize yield reduction caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG2 root rot isolated from infected maize. R. solani reduced maize yields significantly by 34% in the first season. However, the losses decreased in the second season from 34% to 10%. In the first season, combination of T. harzianum, B. megaterium and potassium silicate increased maize yields by 130%. The highest yield in the presence of R. solani was treatments with T. harzianum (216%) followed by T. harzianum plus potassium silicate (214%) and lastly T. harzianum plus B. megaterium (178%). However, in the second season, T. harzianum plus potassium silicate treatment resulted in the highest yields.

Research paper thumbnail of Combinations of a biofertilizer with micro-dosed chemical fertilizers increased yield of maize in a high acid saturated soil

Research paper thumbnail of Can Vermicompost be used as medium amendment for Swiss chard seedling production

A study aimed at introducing vermicompost to farmers and exploring the possibility of its use as ... more A study aimed at introducing vermicompost to farmers and exploring the possibility of its use as an amendment to a commercial growing medium for vegetable seedling production was conducted at Izele Village in Stutterheim. Swiss chard (Beta Vulgaris L.) seedlings cv Star 3301 were sown on a commercial growing medium amended with differing quantities of vermicompost ranging from 20%, 40%, 60% to 80% vermicompost. A treatment with a commercial growing medium (Hygromix) only was included and regarded as a control. Parameters measured were seedling emergence, which encompassed the final emergence percentage, mean emergence time and seedling vigour index. Plant growth, which entailed shoot height, dry shoot and root mass and shoot: root ratio was also measured. Significant differences were measured at p<0.05. Overall, the proportions of vermicompost in the mixtures had a significant effect on both seedling emergence and plant growth. Seedlings grown on 60% and 80% Vermicompost treatments performed better or similar to the commercial medium depending on the parameter measured. Only in dry root mass where the commercial medium was found to perform better than these treatments. In general, vermicompost showed a potential as a medium amendment for Swiss chard seedling production.

Research paper thumbnail of Ethnomedicinal and Other Ecosystem Services Provided by Threatened Plants

CRC Press eBooks, Mar 22, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of UPLC–QTOF/MS tentative identification of phytochemicals from Vernonia amygdalina Delile acetone and ethanol leaf extracts

Journal of Medicinal Plants for Economic Development

Research paper thumbnail of Ethnobotanical Survey of Plants Used by Subsistence Farmers in Mitigating Cabbage and Spinach Diseases in OR Tambo Municipality, South Africa

Plants

Annually, significant crop losses are reported due to diseases caused by phytopathogens. Most sub... more Annually, significant crop losses are reported due to diseases caused by phytopathogens. Most subsistence farmers cannot afford the high cost of chemical treatments thereby resulting in the increasing dependence on plant extracts to manage crop diseases. In this study, we documented plants used for the management of cabbage and spinach diseases in OR Tambo Municipality, Eastern Cape Province. An ethnobotanical survey using semi-structured questionnaires was used to document plants and plant parts used by the subsistence farmers in managing cabbage and spinach diseases. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to 41 consenting subsistence farmers from November to December in 2021, using snowball sampling. The collected data were subjected to descriptive statistical and ethnobotanical analyses. A total of 17 plants belonging to 10 families were identified by the participants as being used in mitigating cabbage and spinach diseases. Tulbaghia violacea, Aloe ferox, and Capsicum ...

Research paper thumbnail of Integrating microdosing of fertilizers with biological control agents for maize production in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Pathology. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2015.

Research paper thumbnail of Trichoderma: A Biofertilizer and a Bio-Fungicide for Sustainable Crop Production

Trichoderma [Working Title], 2022

Trichoderma has been studied widely. It has been found to play a major role in agricultural produ... more Trichoderma has been studied widely. It has been found to play a major role in agricultural production. Around the world scientists and farmers have taken advantage of this knowledge. It is reported to improve plant growth of many crops such as tomato, lettuce, maize, beans, cabbage sugarcane and many more crops. There are two broad categories where Trichoderma plays a major role which is its use as a biofertilizer as well as a biofungicide. Its use as a biofertilizer has been aggravated by its ability to produce volatile compounds, ability to solubilize phosphates making them available to the plant. Moreover, farmers use it as a biofertilizer because it improves the uptake of macro and micro nutrients by the plant. As a biofungicide, Trichoderma is not to control many pathogens from various crops. This includes the control of pathogens such as Rhizoctonia, Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia, Sclerotinia, Phythium, Fusarium, Sclerotinia species and Galumannomyces. The mechanisms used by Tric...

Research paper thumbnail of In vitro and in vivo screening of Bacillus spp. for biological control of Rhizoctonia solani

The increasing concerns about chemical pesticides that are environmentally hazardous and the cont... more The increasing concerns about chemical pesticides that are environmentally hazardous and the continuous development of resistance by palhogens to chemical pesticides have led to this study. Many studies have shown that some Gram-negative bacteria, such as Pseudomonas jlouresens, control plant diseases and promote plant growth. In this study Gram positive bacteria, Bacillus sp., were chosen because of their ability to produce endospores. Endospores can be used in stable, dry formulations. The advantage of using endospores is their ability to survive harsh conditions such as droughts and high temperatures, which give a long shelf life to the biological control agent. Bacillus isolates were recovered from the rhizosphere of 12 different crops, and were subsequently screened in vitro for their antimicrobial activity. Of 130 isolates, 87 exhibited antimicrobial activity against the test organisms: Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium sp., Phytophthora cinnamoni, Fusarium sp., and single representatives of Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria, namely, Erwinia carotovora and Staphylococcus aureus respectively. The Bacillus isolates B77, B81 and B69 inhibited all the test organisms investigated, which suggests that they produced broad spectrum antimicrobial compounds or more than one antimicrobial compound. Of the isolates that showed antimicrobial activity, 78 of them did not inhibit Trichoderma harzianum K D, which is a registered biological control agent; indicating their potential for combined application. Selected Bacillus isolates were tested for the biological control of R. solani under greenhouse conditions in wheat, cabbage, tomato, maize, and cucumber seedlings. Bacillus isolates were applied as seed treatments, and the inoculated seeds were planted in R. solani infested speedling trays. Shoot dry weight measurement of seedlings indicated that 12 out of 19 Bacillus isolates showed significantly different shoot dry weight in wheat whereas all the isolates tested in tomato and cucumber gave significantly different shoot dry weight. No significantly different shoot dry weight was obtained for maize or cabbage. Seed emergence findings indicated that none of the Bacillus isolates IN VIVO FIELD-TESTING TO DETERMINE THE EFFICACY OF SELECTED BACILLUS ISOLATES IN IMPROVING CROP YIELD AND CONTROLLING RHIZOCTONIA SOLANI IN MAIZE AND GREEN BEANS .

Research paper thumbnail of An integrated approach to managing Rhizoctonia solani on maize in marginal soils: field studies

Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection

A study was conducted over two seasons in a marginal soil with an acid saturation of 54%. A plant... more A study was conducted over two seasons in a marginal soil with an acid saturation of 54%. A plant growth promoting rhizobacterium, Bacillus megaterium, a commercial biocontrol agent, Trichoderma harzianum Strain kd (Eco-T®), and soluble potassium silicate were used in this study. The objective was to control maize yield reduction caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG2 root rot isolated from infected maize. R. solani reduced maize yields significantly by 34% in the first season. However, the losses decreased in the second season from 34% to 10%. In the first season, combination of T. harzianum, B. megaterium and potassium silicate increased maize yields by 130%. The highest yield in the presence of R. solani was treatments with T. harzianum (216%) followed by T. harzianum plus potassium silicate (214%) and lastly T. harzianum plus B. megaterium (178%). However, in the second season, T. harzianum plus potassium silicate treatment resulted in the highest yields.

Research paper thumbnail of Combinations of a biofertilizer with micro-dosed chemical fertilizers increased yield of maize in a high acid saturated soil

Research paper thumbnail of Can Vermicompost be used as medium amendment for Swiss chard seedling production

A study aimed at introducing vermicompost to farmers and exploring the possibility of its use as ... more A study aimed at introducing vermicompost to farmers and exploring the possibility of its use as an amendment to a commercial growing medium for vegetable seedling production was conducted at Izele Village in Stutterheim. Swiss chard (Beta Vulgaris L.) seedlings cv Star 3301 were sown on a commercial growing medium amended with differing quantities of vermicompost ranging from 20%, 40%, 60% to 80% vermicompost. A treatment with a commercial growing medium (Hygromix) only was included and regarded as a control. Parameters measured were seedling emergence, which encompassed the final emergence percentage, mean emergence time and seedling vigour index. Plant growth, which entailed shoot height, dry shoot and root mass and shoot: root ratio was also measured. Significant differences were measured at p<0.05. Overall, the proportions of vermicompost in the mixtures had a significant effect on both seedling emergence and plant growth. Seedlings grown on 60% and 80% Vermicompost treatments performed better or similar to the commercial medium depending on the parameter measured. Only in dry root mass where the commercial medium was found to perform better than these treatments. In general, vermicompost showed a potential as a medium amendment for Swiss chard seedling production.