In Vitro Evaluation of the Antifungal Activity of Trigonella foenum-graecum Seed Extract and Its Potential Application in Plant Protection.

In the context of promoting ecological alternatives to synthetic pesticides, this study investigates the antifungal activity of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. seed extract and its potential application in plant protection. The extract, obtained by maceration in 40% ethanol, was analysed using UV-Vis spectrophotometric methods to assess its phytochemical composition, including phenolic compounds, reducing sugars, and soluble proteins, as well as antioxidant activity in acellular system (ABTS, DPPH, TEAC, and CUPRAC) and CAT, SOD, peroxidase, and lipid peroxidation in planting material lysate. Additionally, the extract was qualitatively analysed using ATR-FT-IR and FT-ICR-MS methods. The antifungal activity was tested in vitro against three fungal strains, revealing significant inhibitory effects, especially on Fusarium graminearum and Monilinia laxa. Following the biogermination study on wheat seeds, it was highlighted that the extract obtained from fenugreek seeds manifested a strong inhibitory effect, especially at the highest concentration (1.50%) studied, probably due to the high content of phenols and presence of steroidal saponins (diosgenin and precursor diosgenin-protodiosgenin) and pyridine alkaloids (trigonelline). These findings suggest that Trigonella foenum-graecum seed extract possesses potent antifungal properties, making it a promising candidate for the development of biofungicides in sustainable agriculture.