ABSTRACT

Microbial control of post harvest fungal pathogen of cocoyam using Bacillus species was investigated. Fungi were isolated from rot infested cocoyam corms and identified with varying occurrences levels including Aspergillus (100%), Penicillum (80%), Rhizopus (60%), yeast (100% and Fusarium oxysporium (60%). Pathogenicity test implicated three fungi specieas pathogens with varying levels of demonstrated pathogencity as show by percentage rots of Aspergillus (59%) Fusarium (48.15%) and Penicillurn (45%) the inoculate of in-vitro antifungal tests reveals varying levels of antifungal activity with inhibition zones of Bacillus thuruingensis 14.3mm, Bacillus subtilis 13.3mm, Bacillus megaterium 11.0mm and Bacillus cereus 12.7mm. In vitro test recorded percentage inhibitions of 57%. The higher activity was recorded against Fusarium (57%) by Bacillus thuruingensis while the test inhibition was recorded against Aspergillus (41%) by Bacillus niegaterium. The different Bacillus species exhibited varying levels of inhibition activity against the cocoyam fungi pathogen. Comparatively Fusarium was the most inhibited with a mean inhibition of 53% while Penicillum was the least inhibited (49%) of all the fungi pathogens. It was observed that the Bacillus growth has potentials for the use as bio-control agent, to protect cocoyam corms after harvest. But there is need for a further study regarding their mode of application in concentrate terms.