Post‐Harvest Deterioration of Cassava and its Control Using Extracts of Azadirachta Indica and Aframomum Melegueta

Abstract

Post-harvest deterioration is the most important cause of loss in cassava production and this is mainly as a result of microbial invasion of the tubers. This research was therefore carried out to identify and control the organisms responsible for post-harvest deterioration of cassava tubers. Ethanolic and water extractions ofAzadirachta Indica(A. Juss) leaves andAframomum melegueta(Schumann) seeds were used as antifungal agents and the susceptibility of four of the isolated pathogenic fungi to them was observed in culture. The tested organisms wereAspergillus nigerVan Tiegh,Botryodiplodia theobromaePat,Fusarium solani(Mart). Sacc andPenicillium oxalicumCurrie and Thom. All tested organisms showed different degrees of inhibitions by the extracts withA. nigerbeing the most inhibited by ethanolic extraction ofA. melegueta. The overall result showed thatA. indicawas more active on the organisms though it’s effects and that ofA. meleguetawere not significantly different (P>0.05).

Efficacy of Aframomum melegueta and Zingiber officinale extracts on fungal pathogens of tomato fruit.

“…The fungal spores of these pathogens could be air-borne and therefore spread by wind and may land on susceptible fruits like tomato and other plants. The pathogens (A. niger, Mucor spp, and P. digitatum) were reported by Okigbo, et al (2009) to cause rot of cassava. Also Mehrotra and Aggarwal (2003) reported Helminthosporium spp as pathogens of post harvest rot of tomato, which is in agreement with the finding of this study.…”

<i> In Vitro</i> Control of Tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicon</i> L.) Fruit Rot Caused by Fungi Using Two Plant Extracts

“…The fungal spores of these pathogens could be air-borne and therefore spread by wind and may land on susceptible fruits like tomato and other plants. The pathogens (Fusarium spp, Mucor spp, and P. digitatum) were reported by [23] to cause rot of cassava. Also [18] reported Helminthosporium spp and Rhizopus stolonifer as pathogens of post harvest rot of tomato, which is in agreement with the finding of this study.…”

“…Pathogenicity tests were carried out using the techniques of [23]. Healthy tomato fruits were washed in sterile distilled water and surface sterilized with 1% sodium hypochlorite solution.…”

Control of Rots and Spoilage of Agricultural Products: A Review

“…Curing involves exposing harvested tubers to high temperatures and relative humidity (RH) for a short time usually about 24 h. In the curing process of cassava for example (Okigbo et al, 2009a) reported that the fresh harvested tubers are exposed to temperature range of 25 to 35 °C and 80 to 90 % RH for 7 to 14 days. According to Okigbo (2004), curing naturally encourages thickening of the tuber skin.…”