AETIOLOGY OF FUNGAL DISEASES OF SWEET POTATO (Ipomoea batatas (L)) DURING POST HARVEST STORAGE IN OFFA KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

Gambari, U. O. B. & Okinedo, J. I.

Department of Science Laboratory Technology

Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro

Email: u.gambari@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L)) is the traditional food of Offa people of Kwara State but is recently observed to be in short supply with attendant high cost for some years now. Post-harvest spoilage is found to be a major problem of the tuber. Disease survey on the incidence and severity of the fungal rot on the tuber crops within the locality was carried out. This study was carried out to isolate, identify and confirmed the microorganisms responsible for the post-harvest disease of the crop. Conventional isolation and culture techniques of diseased tissues in nutrient Agar (NA), Malt Extract Agar (MEA) and Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) plates were adopted. Five replicate samples of healthy sweet potatoes were obtained randomly at different time intervals from farms and markets in Offa. They were homogenized and serially diluted to “thin-out” the microbial population. The fungal populations were observed after five days of incubation. The organisms were identified using morphological and biochemical tests. They were confirmed using pathogenicity tests. The isolated fungi are; Aspergillus, Mucor, Fusarivm and Penicillium. Efforts are currently going on to treat the diseases with leaves extracts of some medicinal plants. Data were obtained from disease survey was analysed with ANOVA and means were separated with FLSD.

Keywords: Post harvest spoilage, incidence and severity, Offa, Fungi, Leaves extracts.