African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12487

Full Length Research Paper

Isolation and identification of fungal species from dried date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) fruits sold in Maiduguri metropolis

Colman, S.1*, Spencer, T. H. I.2, Ghamba, P. E.3 and Colman, E.4
1National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Lagos, Nigeria. 2Bacterial Vaccine Production Division, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau. Nigeria. 3World Health Organisation, Polio Laboratories, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria. 4Department of Biology, Kashim Ibrahim College of Education, Maiduguri, Nigeria.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 26 June 2012
  •  Published: 31 July 2012

Abstract

A total of 360 dried date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) fruits were collected from hawkers, shops and market places within Maiduguri metropolis for the detection of the presence of fungal species. Investigation was based on cultural, microscopically and biochemical tests. Of the 327 (90.83%) fungal isolates recovered on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA), Aspergillus niger had the highest percentage of occurrence (39.17%), followed by Aspergillus flavus (17.60%), Mucor species (16.67%),Aspergillus fumigatus (12.50%), Trychophyton rubrum (4.16%), while Candida albicans had the least percentage of occurrences of (0.83%). There is need therefore to appropriately treat this fruit before consumption, to minimize possible mycotic infection.

 

Key words: Isolation, fungi, date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, Maiduguri.

Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.

This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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