Mycological studies on fungi in apparently diseased sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis) sampled from retailers at Na'ibawa Yan Lemu market in Kano Metropolis was carried out between August and September 2006. The samples were surface sterilized using 85% ethanol and homogenates were cultured on potato Dextrose Agar and incubated aerobically at room temperature for 7 days at 30°C. Pure cultures of the resulting fungal colonies were obtained from the subcultures of the primary plates. These were identified morphologically and microscopically. The investigation revealed that up to 90% of the samples were infected with one or more fungal species. The most predominant pathogenic fungus isolated from the samples was, Aspergillus sp (32.5%); others include Mucor sp. (25%), Penicillium sp (15%), Rhizopus sp (15%), Fusarium sp, (7.5%), and Alternaria sp. (5%). Proper handling from the farm as well as during storage and the avoidance of mixing of diseased ones with the healthy ones were identified as important factors in preventing loss. The use of suitable chemical treatment of the orange is also recommended as means of reducing economic loss due to fungal pathogens.
Dawadawa botso is a nutritious traditional condiment produced by the fermentation of the seeds of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa); it often features in the food of local people in West Africa. Despite the acceptance and importance of this traditionally produced food condiment, it has received little scientific attention. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of different combinations of fermenting bacteria on the production of dawadawa botso with a view to determining the best starter culture. Isolated fermenting organisms were used to produce dawadawa botso, and their effect on its pH, proximate composition, mineral content and the amino acid profile was determined. The highest pH of 7.22 and lowest of 6.58 was recorded during the fermentation studies. Significant variations (P<0.05) were observed in some of the proximate and mineral compositions of dawadawa botso produced with different starter cultures. Lowest and highest values recorded for lipid was 2.17 and 15.50% respectively, and that of protein and carbohydrate were (15.12 and 27.56%) and (11.04 and 40.72%) respectively. The order of abundance of the mineral content followed the pattern potassium>sodium>phosphorus>magnesium>calcium, showing the most to least in quantity. The major amino acids detected are glutamic acid, aspartic acid and leucine in the unfermented seeds. However, variations were observed after fermentation with the starter cultures. Dawadawa botso produced with all the organisms showed an increase in MSG-like free amino acid classes with 1F organisms showing the lowest value after fermentation. Sweet and bitter free amino acids decreased for the starter combinations used. This finding suggests that the types of fermenting organisms influence the nutritional and organoleptic properties of dawadawa botso.
African Locust Bean (Parkia biglobosa) is among the leguminous plants used by man particularly in some African countries for the production of local condiment. African locust bean seeds are rich in protein and usually fermented to a tasty food condiment called daddawa which is used as a flavour intensifier for soups and stews and also adds protein to a proteinpoor diet. However, the use of African locust bean seeds and other legumes as protein source is limited by the presence of anti-nutritional factors which are a diverse range of naturally occurring compounds in many tropical plants. This study sought to investigate the nutrients and anti-nutrients content of locust bean. The result of nutrient factors were analyses and it can be seen that the carbohydrate had highest percentage occurrence with 70.72% followed by Moisture with 11.5% and lipid with 10% and protein with 6.78% then ash with 4%. The results of anti-nutritional factor on locust bean can be seen that the Nitrate had a highest percentage occurrence with 82.8% followed by Tannins with 33% and Cyanide with 4.1% and Phytate with 2.94% and Oxalate with 0.0027%. Therefore this present work show that locust bean contain high nutritional value and less anti-nutritional value.
Soil contamination by textile and tannery effluents is a great concern to the environment, Complex effluents having a number of dyes accumulate in the soil there by polluting the environments and loss of microbial species in the soil. Samples were collected and the physicochemical analyses was determined. The pH was basic with 8.0 and 10.1 from tannery and dyeing site respectively. The organic carbon was very low with 0.76% and 0.06%, Nitrogen (0.067% and 0,095%), phosphorus 0.8mg/kg, and 1.62mg/kg), calcium (1.35mol/kg in both the two samples. Magnesium recorded 0.30mol/kg and 1.65mol/kg, potassium 0.85 mol/kg1.65mol/kg , Sodium 3.13mol/kg and 30.0 mol/kg in tannery and dyeing site respectively. The sand, silt and clay recorded (78.8% and 90.6%)(7.3% and 5.3%), (13.9% and 4.1%). The heavy metal content of the soil sample were determined the concentration of chromium was 0.0258 and 0.0043 from tannery and dyeing site respectively, while Nickel was almost unavailable in the site with -1.0700 and -1.0756. Lead recorded a very low concentration with -0.9164 and -7803. Thirteen bacterial species were isolated and identified based on morphology and biochemical charachteristics from the samples, tannery soil with frequency occurrences of 23.07% for Bacillus laterosporus, 15.38% for Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus megaterium while Bacillus firmus, Bacillus cereus, proteus vulgaris, proteus mirabilis and clostridium had 7.69% each. Fifteen species were isolated from the dyeing soil sample with Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with the highest frequency of occurrences with13.33% each. Burkholderia cepacia, P. florescense, Bacillus laterosporus,Bacillus amyloliquifeciens, Bacillus brevis and Proteus vulgaris had 6.66% each, all these were determine with the use of Microgen identification kit, molecular analysis was done on two bacterial isolates and were confirmed to be Alishwanella solinqauinati and Bacillus subtilis. These indicate that the species isolated can resist high amount of toxic chemicals and can withstand any harsh environment and hence their ability to serve as a potential biosorbents for bioremediation of the affected environments at a cheap cost.
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