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Fungi associated with
deterioration of sour-sop (Anona muricata Linn.)
fruits in Abia State, Nigeria
Okwulehie, Ikechukwuka Cyriacus* and Alfred, Nnamdi
Kingsley
Department
of Biological Sciences, Michael Okpara, University of
Agriculture Umudike, P.M.B. 7267, Umuahia, Abia State,
Nigeria.
*Corresponding author.
phylyke@yahoo.com
Accepted
24 December, 2009 |
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Anona muricata
commonly known as sour-sop, belong to the family Annonaceae.
It is a small slender tropical tree usually grown for its
large fleshy and juicy fruits. The fruit of A. muricata
plays an important role in the diet of many in many parts of
the tropics including Nigerian. Unfortunately, the
usefulness of the fruits of Anona is decimated by
many fungi species. Investigation of the fungi that cause
the deterioration of sour-sop (Anona muricata)
was carried out in order to recommend the appropriate
control measures. Mature fruits of A. muricata were
collected from different locations in Abia State. Isolation,
characterization and identification of fungi were made by
plating washings from skin surface and extracted juice from
pulp of the fruits in test tubes containing potato dextrose
agar (PDA) and yeast malt extract agar (Difco) into which
streptomycin sulphate was incorporated to inhibit bacterial
growth. Inoculated tubes were incubated at 28 ± 2°C for 48
h. Control experiment was carried out with sterile peptone
water instead of using the washings. The following
filamentous and yeast fungi were isolated from the skin
surface and pulp of the fruits: Aspergillus flavus,
Aspergillus niger, Botryodiplodia theobromae, Colletotrichum
sp., Fusarium solani, Mucor sp., Penicillium
chrysogenium, Penicillium sp., Rhizopus stolonifer
and Rigidoporus sp., Candida albicans,
Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces rouxii and
Torulopsis spp. The pathogenicity tests of the
filamentous fungi isolated were carried out on mature green
Anona fruits and were found to be pathogenic. The
filamentous fungi were mainly responsible for the
deterioration of the fruits of A. muricata in Abia
state while the yeasts were fermentative.
Key
words:
Abia state, Anona muricata (Sour-sop) fruits, fungi,
deterioration. |
