Post-Harvest Microbial Spoilage Of Dennettia Tripetala During Storage In Abia Statep

ABSTRACT

Dennettia tripetala of the family Annonaceae, is the only species of the genus present in West Africa. The plant's diseases are not well known. Mature ripe and unripe fruits were purchased from Umuahia main market in Abia State of Nigeria and stored. Isolation, characterization and identification of the mycofiora were done by plating, washings from stored fruits and .seeds on Potato Dextrose Agar medium. A pathogenicity test was also carried out, Many yeasts and-fllamentous fungi were found to attack the fruits and seeds of the plant. The major fiirnIentous fungi identified were. Aspergillus niger, Fusarium moniliforme, F. solani, Botiyodioloida theobromae while the major yeast components identified were Saccharornyces cerevisiae and Pichia sp. Some of the mycoflora penetrate fruits through wounds and the epidermis, damaging and discolouring the fruits. Others cause lesions of varying sizes and shapes through which the mycelia ramify, invade and rot the predisposed seeds. The study has established many mycoflora which attack D tripoetala fruits and seeds, and 'decimate their shelf life and hence cause low production.