ABSTRACT

Bacillus species were isolated from the rhizospheric soil of ginger plants and assayed for their antifungal activities against some test organisms {Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium notatum, and Rhizopus nigricans). Four Bacillus were isolated and identified as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus pumillus with their levels of occurrence to be 100%, 60%, 40% and 40% respectively. Results obtained from antifungal activity tests show that there were variations in the levels of antifungal activity of the different Bacillus isolates. Bacillus subtilis inhibited different fungi to varying extents; Candida albicans 11.67mm to 15.67mm, Penicillium notatum 10.33mm to 12.67mm, Aspergillus niger 9.67mm to 13.67mm, Rhizopus nigricans 13.33mm to 16.33mm. The inhibition ranges of B. Cereus for the same fungi were 14.33mm to 16.67mm, 12.67mm to 13.67mm, 11.67mm to 12.67mm and 15.33mm to 17.33mm while those ofBacilluspumillus were 13.33mm to 14.33mm, 10.67mm to 11.67mm, 11.67mm to 13.67mm and 12.33mm to 13.67mm. The inhibition of fungi by B. megaterium were 13.33mm to 14.67mm {Candida albicans), 11.67mm {Penicillium notatum), 13.67mm {Aspergillus niger), and 11.67mm to 13.00mm {Rhizopus nigricans). Comparatively, Bacillus subtilis was the most prevalent as well as the most potent isolate against the test fungi types. It was observed that ginger plant rhizosphere harbours many Bacillus species which have potentials to be used as bio-controls agents against pathogenic fungi ofother crops.