ABSTRACT The quality of Amaranthus cruentus L. seeds were influenced both by seasons of harvest and varietal type. The wetness that accompanied harvests of the first (April June) and second (August-October) seasons greatly-reduced the quality of seeds of cultivars. Quality reduction were in the form of seed malformation, discolouratlon and mycelial growth on them. Fifteen fungal species were found to be associated with seeds of the cultivars used. There was a seasonal variability in the occu...
INTRODUCTION A fungus is any member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which are separate from plants, animals, protists, and bacteria. One major difference is that fungal cells have cell walls that contain chitin, unlike the cell walls of plants and some protists, which contain cellulose, and unlike the cell walls of bacteria. These and ot...
ABSTRACT The process of re-establishing the natural level of arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) fungi richness can represent a valid alternative to conventional phosphate based fertilization practices, with a view to sustainable agriculture. The main strategy that can be adopted to achieve this goal is the direct re-introduction of AM fungi inoculum into a target soil. AM fungi have a high affinity for phosphorus, an essential macronutrient that participates in the skeleton of the nucleic acids DNA ...
ABSTRACTA study was undertaken to determine typical concentration of airborne bacteria and fungi (microflora) in Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) in the tropical rainforest environment of Nigeria. Aerial sampling was conducted at various faculties and departments each day. The air samples were collected thrice daily. Concentrations of airborne microflora exceeded available local guidelines for classroom, lobby, library and offices, but not in the restricted ...
ABSTRACTThis study was conducted to examine the fungi present in spoilt onion bulb. Five different sample of spoilt onion bulb were blended together and suspended in sterilized distilled water which was used to inoculate Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA). Four different fungi were isolated from the sample and the morphological characteristics shows that the isolate belong to the following genera: Alternaria sp., Aspergillius sp., Penicillium sp., and Rhizopus sp. These fungi may have been respons...
Abstract: Phytopathogenic fungi result in a significant loss in agricultural production. The use of bio fungicides to manage these fungal pathogens has become a more appealing option than using conventional synthetic fungicides since they are relatively environmentally safe. Chitinolytic enzymes are environmentally friendly antifungal agents used to control fungal phytopathogens. Therefore, this study was conducted to extract chitinase enzyme from fungi and determine the fungicidal effect of...
ABSTRACT Six species of known toxigenic and zoopathogenic fungi were isolated from Nigerian poultry feeds. These include Aspergillus flavus Link: Fr. (IMI 280819), A. fumiga tus Fres. (1M1 280822), ~ niger v. Tieghem (IM1 280823), A. oryzae (Ahlburg) Cohn (IM1 280831), Rhizopus arrhizus Fischer (1M1 280827) and Rhizomucor pusillus Lindt Schipper (1MI 280824). Growth-temperature range for the. fungi was between 15° and 45°C. Aspergillus fu~igatus and Rhizomucor pusillus are t he r mot o Le ...
Abstract: Some entomopathogenic fungi species, Isaria fumosorosea, and Hirsutella citriformis were found to be efficient against the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae). However, the susceptibility to these fungi increases when the psyllid infected with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las), which is transmitted by D. citri and causes citrus greening disease. In this study, we examined the Las-infected and Las-uninfected D. citri susceptibility to entomopa...
ABSTRACT Viruses and fungi are the major threat to sweet potato production because they reduce yield by up to 90% thereby threatening food security. A study was carried out to identify pathogenic viruses and fungi affecting sweet potato and to determine their distribution across varieties and sites in Gweru. A total of 28 samples belonging to five different sweet potato varieties were collected from nine sites in Gweru. Plants were screened for viruses using two methods namely direct observat...
Sorghum is considered one of the major cereal crop and staple food as well for millions of the poorest and most food insecure people in many part of the world and in Sudan as well. The production and consumption of sorghum is constrained by several factors, the most important among which are seed-borne fungal species. In addition to causing quantitative losses, these spoilage fungi produce highly toxic and carcinogenic mycotoxins. In view of the negative public health and economic impac...
ABSTRACT Fungi are eukaryotic microorganisms that have simple multicellular or unicellular cell structures. They are distributed in terrestrial soils, forests, aquatic habitats and in extreme environments with high ambient salts, temperature, pH and pressure. Fungi from extreme environments are potential sources of novel biocatalysts for example antimicrobial agents that can help solve the rising cases of drug resistance. However, the diversity of fungi recovered and described from less studi...
ABSTRACT Coprophilous fungi are abundant species found in dung of most wild animals, and an easily available and abundant tool for studying and monitoring ecosystem changes. The focus of this study was to characterize two genera of coprophilous fungi, Pilobolus and Ascobolus. These fungi are important in decomposing and recycling of nutrients from animal waste. Ascobolus fungi are important in genetic studies and have been identified as a source of enzymes and antibiotics. Pilobolus fungi pl...
Abstract: Maize is a staple food crop in Kenya with about 90% of the rural households depending on it. However, the grain is vulnerable to degradation by mycotoxin producing fungi in the field and during storage. Mycotoxins produced by these fungi cause significant economic losses and deleterious health effects to humans and animals. Strategies such as storage of maize in hermetic bags have been developed to reduce post-harvest grain losses due to pest attack, fungal growth and mycotoxin con...
ABSTRACT A green house study was conducted to investigate the ability of an isolate of Trichoderma harzianum (P52) and Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in enhancing growth in tea cuttings, tomato seedlings and napier grass cuttings. Trichoderma harzianum is a saprophytic fungus that enhances plant growth through solubilization of nutrients and is antagonistic to many soil pathogens. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi forms symbiotic associations with plant roots promoting phosphorous absorption a...
ABSTRACTThe present study is to isolate fungi from rhizosphere of Moringa oleifera and screen them for the production of some very important enzymes such as amylase and protease. Twenty fungi were isolated from the soil sample from five different farms using pour plate method. The isolates were then identified based on their colonial morphology and microscopic features in wet mount and Lactophenol Cotton Blue staining. All the isolates were screened for amylase and protease production by star...