Efficiency of propolis extract on faba bean plants and its role against nematode infection.

Propolis is a resinous substances collected by honey bees, It cannot be used as a raw material, so it must be purified by extraction with solvent. This work aimed to study the physiological influence of propolis extract as foliar application or soil drench on faba bean plants and its role against nematode infection. Propolis samples were extracted by using three different solvents (distilled water or 70% ethanol or acetone) (750 and 1000 mg/l). Qualitative tests of the propolis extracts proved that these extracts contain sterols, flavonoids and phenolic compounds. Moreover, few numbers of phenolic acids (coumaric, ferulic, salicylic and benzoic acid) were also detected on TLC plates. All treatments of propolis extract (as foliar application or soil drench) increased total chlorophyll and carotenoid and the magnitude of increase was more pronounced by applying the higher concentration (1000 mg/l). Moreover, alll propolis extracts increased shoot height; root dry weight; number of branches and pods/plant; number of seeds/pod as well as seed index. Acetonic extract was the most effective particularly at higher concentration. Applying propolis extracts as foliar application or soil drench caused an increase in carbohydrate content of the yielded seeds accompanied by a decrease in phytic acid and vicine content. In addition, foliar application of all propolis extracts caused an increasing in protein content and phenolic compounds of the yielded seeds, whereas, soil drench with ethanolic or acetonic extract only at 1000 mg/L increased protein content. The data revealed that the propolis extract as soil drench reduced the juvenile-Meloidogyne sp.-population density per one kg soil and number of root-galls per one gm roots specially at the higher concentration (1000 mg/l). It is worthy to mention that faba bean plants treated with propolis extract either as foliar application or soil drench could overcome the inhibitory influence of nematode infection.