ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITIES OF Lactobacillus plantarum ON SOME FUNGAL PATHOGENS (Aspergillus spp, Rhizopus spp, Candida spp)

ABSTRACT

Antifungal activities of Lactobacillus plantarum against some selected fungal pathogens were studied. Lactobacillus plantarum was isolated from decaying tomato fruit while the fungal isolates  Apergillus spp, Rhizopus spp  and Candida spp were isolated from decaying foods and ogi. Identification of the isolates were based on existing taxa in standard manuals. The Lactobacillus plantarum was found to demonstrate antimicrobial activity against all the test organisms but to varying extents. Candida was the least inhibited with inhibition diameter average of 5mm while Rhizopus has an inhibition diameter of 10mm and Aspergillus has the highest inhibition of 12mm.  The demonstrated antifungal activity of the Lactobacillus plantarum was attributed to possible production of organic acid which had adverse effect on the test fungi. The successful use of the Lactobacillus plantarum to control the growth of the fungal pathogens was seen as showing its potential for use in food preservation against spoilage fungi.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page ﾿ i ﾿

Certificate ﾿ ii

Dedication ﾿ iii

Acknowledgements ﾿ iv

Table of Contents ﾿ v

List of Tables ﾿ vii

Abstract ﾿ viii

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 INTRODUCTION ﾿ 1

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ﾿ 3

2.1 Lactic Acid Bacteria ﾿ 3

2.2 Nature of L. plantarum ﾿ 5

2.3 Metabolism ﾿ 6 ﾿

2.4 Uses ﾿ 6

2.5Antagonistic Nature of L. plantarum ﾿ 8

2.6 Fungal Pathogens ﾿ 9

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Materials and Methods ﾿ 12

3.1 Materials ﾿ 12

3.2  Methods ﾿                                                         ﾿    12

3.2.1 Media Used and Preparation ﾿       ﾿   12

3.2.2 Preparation of Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) ﾿   12 ﾿

3.2.3 Preparation of Man Rogosa Sharp Agar (MRSAgar) ﾿ 13 ﾿

3.2.4 Isolation of Test Organisms (Rhizopus, Candida and ﾿ Aspergillus). ﾿ 13

3.2.5 Identification of Fungi ﾿ 14

3.2.6 Isolation of Lactobacillus plantarum ﾿ 14

3.2.7 Characterization and Identification of Lactobacillu s ﾿ plantarum ﾿ 15

3.2.8 Test for Antifungal Ability of L. plantarum ﾿ 19

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0  Results ﾿ 20

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0  Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendation ﾿ 24

5.1 Discussion ﾿ 24

5.2  Conclusion ﾿ 25

5.3 Recommendation ﾿ 25 ﾿

REFERENCES    ﾿ 26

APPENDIX ﾿ 35

LIST OF TABLES 

Tables ﾿ Title ﾿ Pages

 1 ﾿ -  ﾿ Characterization of L. plantarum ﾿ 21

 2. ﾿ - ﾿ Characterization of Fungal Isolates ﾿ ﾿ 22

 3. ﾿ - ﾿ Zone of Inhibition (mm)  of Lactobacillus plantarum

 on Aspergillus spp, Rhizopus spp and Candida spp. ﾿ 23 ﾿