Abstract: This study was intended to investigate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of endophytic fungi isolates from coffee husks. The coffee husk sample was collected from the local processor in Nensebo district, Arsi Zone, Ethiopia. The samples were surface sterilized before used as endophytic fungal culture. The nutrient value was prepared as per manufacturer instructions. Fungal culturing and identifications of genera were made according to fungal identification manual. Then, ...
ABSTRACT The struggle to rule gave room to chieftaincy dispute for which the study examined the impeding factors and the effects of the Chieftaincy Conflict in Funsi Traditional Area in the Upper West Region of Ghana. Dahrendorf’s Conflict and Relative Deprivation theories anchored the study. Case study design was used. A sample of 45 was chosen using purposive and convenience sampling. Semi-structured interview schedules were used to collect the data. The data was analyzed using content a...
ABSTRACT Agricultural pesticides use is rising in crop protection against plant invaders of which fungi are chief in reducing both yield quantity and quality. Botrytis cinerea, Rhizoctonia solani, Macrophomina phaseolina and Alternaria alternata are polyphagous fungi of economic importance with severe yield and quality losses worldwide. Environmental concerns on pesticide use and their resistance now on a worldwide scale. Extensive studies of plant secondary metabolites have not exhausted the...
INTRODUCTION Mycotoxins are pharmacologically active mold metabolites produced in a strain-specific way that elicit some complicated toxicological activities (Bennett, 2003). Mycotoxins could also be described as secondary metabolites produced by a wide variety of organisms categorized as fungi, including mushrooms, yeasts and molds. The term mycotoxin was used for the first time in 1961 in the aftermath of a veterinary crisis in England, during which thousands of animals died. The disease wa...
ABSTRACT This study evaluated the protein fatty acid and mineral changes in sweet potato root iheal inoculated with two selected fungi by solid state fermentation procedure. The total protein content was raised from 4.95% to 11.83% and 6.69% within 48 hrs for Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus niger respectively. The total lipid dropped from 1.93% in thè control to 1.36 and 4.19% for A. niger and A. oryzae respectively. The fatty acids 0 6 : 0 and 0 8 :2 were preponderant over other fatty ac...
ABSTRACT Soybean is afected by a wide range of diseases, many of which are seed-borne. Infection by seed-borne pathogens leads to seed rot, low seedling vigour and reduction in plant growth. Seed-borne fungal pathogens on farmer-saved seeds of soybeans were investigated by examining a total of eleven (11) seed samples from two districts (Saboba and Yendi) in the Northern region and one from CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI). Appearance quality of farmer-saved soybean se...
ABSTRACT Water contamination is one of the major causes of water borne diseases worldwide. In Kenya, approximately 43% of people lack access to potable water due to human contamination. Physicochemical and biological factors influence microbial community and quality of water. Residents in Bungoma County depend on river Kuywa water for domestic and agricultural use. The river water is currently experiencing contamination due to human activities such as farming and disposal of industrial and do...
ABSTRACT Human fungal infections pose serious medical issues. Up to now, more than a hundred thousand fungal species are considered as natural contaminants. During the last decade, the incidence of superficial and deep mycotic infections has continued to increase explosively. There is a general consensus among researchers, clinicians and pharmaceutical companies that new, potent, effective and safe antifungal drugs are needed. Majority of work has been conducted on Camellia sinensis extracts ...
ABSTRACT Human systemic fungal infections have increased in the past decade due to the dramatic increase in immunocompromised patients hence the emergence of resistant fungal strains. It is therefore necessary to discover new antifungal compounds with novel mode of action. This study was aimed at isolating and characterizing antifungal agents from wood decaying fungi (WDF). The growth conditions for maximum production of bioactive agents from WDF were first tested. It was observed that miner...
Abstract: Abstract:This study was conducted in the scope of developing a sustainable effective approach againstsubterranean termite pests using entomopathogenic and endophytic fungus-based biopesticides.Termites,Odontotermesspp. workers, were tested for their susceptibility to 15 entomopathogenicfungal isolates through the direct spraying of conidia suspensions at 1×108conidia/mL. In general,all the isolates screened were pathogenic, with 100% mortality 4–7 days post-inoculation. However,...
ABSTRACT Majority of life-threatening fungal infections in clinics are caused by Candida albicans. The emergence of azole resistance in fungi complicates patient management. In response to chemical stress, C. albicans make transient changes in the gene expression for survival. Notable among these is the upregulation of efflux pump which is known to be the main mechanism of antifungal resistance. Potent therapeutic agents targeting this resistance mechanism are urgently needed. Chemo-sensitiza...
ABSTRACT The effects of water and methanol extracts of 19 Ghanaian plants belonging to 12 families on some aspects of the physiology of five fungi (Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Sclerotium rolfsii, Nigrospora sp.), and five bacterial species (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella (Group C,), Escherichia coli (EPEC 0:43), E. coli (ETEC OK5)) were investigated in vitro in either liquid or agar medium amended with varying dilutions (1:1 - 1:5 v/v)...
ABSTRACT A major constraint to increased and sustainable production of tomatoes is its infestation by insect pests particularly the tomato fruit worm Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The control of this insect relies heavily on the use of synthetic insecticides which have negative environmental effects. Some insects have developed resistance to certain insecticides. Efforts are therefore being made to look for alternative control strategies that are environmentally-safe...
ABSTRACT In this research work, Bioremediation technology was used to reduce the heavy contents of the soil collected from the bank of the sewage pond of the University of Nigeria Nsukka. The heavy metals were; zinc (Zn) cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pd). In the bioremediation process, fungi, bacteria and plants were used. The bacteria used were Bacillus cereus, the fungi used was Aspergillus fumigatus and the plant used was Bryophyllum pinnatum (life plant). The combinations of these organisms wer...
ABSTRACT Aflatoxins are fungal metabolites which are toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic and thus cause undesirable effects on animal and human health when ingested with feed or foodstuffs. Aflatoxin producing fungi may occur in certain food products in form of spores, and thus when conditions are favourable, the fungi germinate and may produce aflatoxin in varied amounts. Ingestion of higher dose of aflatoxin (Codex Commission upper limit is 10ppb), may result in aflatoxicosis which manifests ...