Abstract
Plant parasite fungi that result in agriculture colossal loss in the globe and Botrytis cinerea, Phytophthora capsici, etc., that cause dire food security issue are becoming a serious concern. The growing resistance of these disease-causing agents to classic fungicides and the increasing dangers of these diseases to the environment are the factors that have dictated the necessity of developing better, safer, and more sustainable versions. This article demonstrated the ability of umbelliferone (7-hydroxycoumarin), a phenolic substance found in plants, to have an antifungal effect estimated in silico and in vitro. The in vitro antifungal effect was established through the procedures of the poisoned food method and sporulation of different concentrations (25-200 ugg/mL). The dose-dependent antimicrobial effect of umbelliferone was pronounced on the growth of the two pathogens in rates of mycelium growth, with a total maximum growth inhibitory effect at high concentration. Cultivation of the spores was severely inhibited and this implied interference of fungal reproduction. Microscopic analysis of treated fungi proved there were major morphological changes observed in the fungi and these changes included distortion of the hypha, swelling, and leakage of cytoplasm which are indicative of cell membrane disruptions. In silico molecular docking of umbelliferone on fungal targets proteins yielded binding energies of within -6.3 and -6.6 kcal/mol. These interactions could indicate the inhibition of essential fungal metabolic pathways. In general, the findings indicate that umbelliferone has potent antifungal properties and can potentially work via a multi-target mechanism characterized by membrane disruption and occasional enzymes. The article demonstrates why umbelliferone can be used as a natural and effective alternative to artificial fungicides due to the fact that artificial compounds are often not environmentally friendly, and thus, the laboratory compound should replace the synthetic one, though further field and in vivo studies are required to confirm the feasibility of the suggested intervention.