TITLE:
Studies on Fungi Responsible for the Spoilage/Deterioration of Some Edible Fruits and Vegetables
AUTHORS:
Iniekong P. Udoh, Clara I. Eleazar, Bryan O. Ogeneh, Martin E. Ohanu
KEYWORDS:
Fungi, Spoilage, Infection, Fruit, Vegetables
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Microbiology,
Vol.5 No.4,
April
24,
2015
ABSTRACT: Investigation
of fungi responsible for the post harvest deterioration of Lycopersicum
esculentus (tomatoes), Elaeis
guineensis (palm fruit), Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato), Solanum
tuberosum (Irish potato), Musa sapientum (banana), Doucus carota
(carrot), Musa paradisiaca (plantain), Carica papaya (pawpaw), Persea americana (Avocado pear), Citrullus
lanatus (water-melon) and Capsicum chinense (fresh red pepper) from five different markets
and farm lands in Enugu state, Nigeria was carried out. Healthy and diseased
samples were collected from the selected markets/ farmlands. Fungal species
found associated with the deterioration of the various fruits and vegetables
tested included Mucor species (M. indicus, M. amphibiorum, M. racemosus
and M. hiemalis), Rhizopus species (Rhizopus
stolonifer, R. nigrican and R. oligosporus), Candida albicans, Aspergillus species (Aspergillus fumigatus, A.
niger and A. flavus) and Penicillum species (P. oxalicum and P. chrysogenum) and Fusarium species (F. accuminatum, F. oxysporum, F. eqiuseti and F. moniliforme, F. solani, F. dimerum).
All isolated fungi were pathogenic to the different fruits and
vegetables from the result of pathogencity tests carried out.