GARRI AND AKAMU AS AN ALTERNATIVE MEDIA FOR THE GROWTH OF FUNGI

ABSTRACT

The high cost of microbial culture media necessitates the screening and production of alternative media from cheap local materials. Mycological culture media has a great role to play in the growth and sporulation of fungi. In this study, the feasibility of using nutrient sources from Garri (a tuber product) and Akamu (a cereal product) to cultivate fungal species was investigated together with a conventional media-Sabouraud Dextrose agar (SDA) which served as control. Soil samples were serially diluted up to the 6th dilution and were inoculated into the SDA, Akamu and Garri medium using pour plate and spread plate techniques from the 4th dilution tube. Growth of the fungal species was observed to be slightly lower in the alternative media but was about the same to the control (SDA). The isolates were identified based on preliminary morphology and microscopic examination. They were species of Aspergillus, Penicillium and Rhizopus. From the percentage mean of each isolate, 89% of Penicillium grew on SDA. This was closely followed by Garri with 76% and Akamu with 32%. The frequency of isolation of Aspergillus was 38% on SDA, 37% on Garri and 65% on Akamu. Rhizopus recorded 64% in SDA, 57% in Garri and 16% in Akamu. SDA has been reported to be a better media for the cultivation of fungi but however, results from this study shows that hot-water made Garri and Akamu can compete favourably with SDA. Colony radical growth and sporulation of fungi were optimal for Aspergillus on Akamu (21mm) after 72hrs followed by Penicillium on SDA (18.2mm) after 72hrs The results from this research work shows that alternative media produced from maize and cassava (cheap raw materials) can be used for the cultivation of fungi in scenarios where acquiring conventional media is difficult.

Table of Contents

Title Page ﾿ i

Certification ﾿ ii

Dedication ﾿ iii

Acknowledgement ﾿ iv

Table f Contents ﾿ v

List of Tables ﾿ vii

List of Plates ﾿ viii Abstract                                     ﾿ ix

Chapter One

1.0 ﾿ Introduction ﾿ 1

1.1 ﾿ Aims and Objectives ﾿ 3

Chapter Two

2.0     Literature Review ﾿ 4

2.1   Media as a Research tool ﾿ 4

2.1.1 Media Sterilization & Aseptic Techniques ﾿ 6

2.2    Garri ﾿ 6

2.2.1 Cassava: Raw Material for Garri ﾿ 8

2.2.2 Cyanide Detoxification ﾿ 10

2.2.3 Potentials and Future of Cassava as Animal and Microbial Feed ﾿ 11

2.3 ﾿ Ogi/Akamu ﾿ 11

2.4 ﾿ Fungi ﾿ 12

2.4.1 ﾿ Penicillium ﾿ 14

2.4.2 ﾿ Rhizopus ﾿ 15

Chapter Three: ﾿ Materials and Methods

3.0 ﾿ Materials and Methods ﾿ 16

3.1 ﾿ Materials ﾿ 16

3.2 ﾿ Methodology ﾿ 16

3.2.1 ﾿ Sterilization of Materials ﾿ 16

3.2.2 ﾿ Preparation of Media ﾿ 16

3.2.3 ﾿ Preparation of Inoculums Size ﾿ 17

3.2.4 ﾿ Inoculation of plates ﾿ 17

3.2.5 ﾿ Incubation ﾿ 18

3.2.6 ﾿ Isolation and Identification ﾿ 18

3.2.7 ﾿ Purification of Isolates ﾿ 18

3.2.8 ﾿ Lactophenol Cotton Blue test ﾿ 19

Chapter Four:  ﾿ Results

4.0 ﾿ Results ﾿ 20

Chapter Five:  ﾿ Discussion and Conclusion

5.1 ﾿ Discussion ﾿ 26

5.2 ﾿ Conclusion ﾿ 28

References ﾿ 30

LIST OF TABLES

Table ﾿ Title ﾿ Page 

1 ﾿ Frequency/Occurrence of Various Fungal Isolates on Garri, Akamu andSDA. ﾿    21

2 ﾿ Colony Morphology and Microscopic description ﾿     22

3 ﾿ Number of Each Isolate on Garri, Akamu and SDA ﾿     23

ean Colony Diameter (mm) of Each Isolate on Garri, SDA and Akamu after 48 and 72 Hrs of Incubation. ﾿     24

5 ﾿ % Mean of Each Isolate on Akamu, Garri and SDA ﾿     25

LIST OF PLATES

Plate ﾿ Title ﾿ Page

I ﾿ Plate showing growth of fungi on Akamu ﾿ 35

II ﾿ A plate showing growth of Aspergillus on Akamu ﾿ 34

III ﾿ Plate showing growth of fungi on SDA ﾿ 36