Antifungal Activity of Pomegranate and Oak Galls Extracts Against Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus niger

Different factorial experiments were conducted during 2008-2009 in the laboratories of Biology Department, College of Science, University of Salahaddin-Erbil, to determine the effects of aqueous and ethanol extracts of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) and oak gall (Quercus infectoria L.) at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% of raw extracts to control Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus niger after 48, 96 and 168 hours of incubation, using completely randomized design (CRD) with four replications. The results revealed that all the plant extract concentrations used were effective against the two fungi. Ethanol extracts were more efficient against the growth of mycelia of the two fungi than aqueous extracts. Penicillium spp. was more sensitive to the plant extracts of pomegranate and oak gall more than Aspergillus niger. There were significant interactions between time of incubation and plant extract concentrations in their effects on the growth of mycelia. The two fungi renewed part of their activity after 168 hours of application of plant extracts.