Volume 6, Issue 4, April – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

ISSN No:-2456-2165

Isolation and Identification of Fungi Associated with

the Spoilage of Cucumber Fruit Sold in Igbariam,
Anambra State and Possible Control Method Using
Lime Juice Extract
Ejimofor Chiamaka Frances1, Oledibe Odira Johnson 2*
1
Department of Biological Sciences, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu University, Uli, Anambra State, Nigeria.
2
*Corresponding author, Department of Botany, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.

Abstract:- Fruits and vegetables are generally very vital to this family include Melon, squash, Watermelon and
to the human system due to their various minerals and Pumpkins [2]. It originated from the Asia continent.
vitamin contents. Some of them are more nutritious than Cucumber plant can be cultivated in both temperate
others and are in higher demands. This study was and tropical environment hence it is said to be a native
conducted to isolate and identify fungi associated with of many regions of the world [3,4].
the spoilages of cucumber fruit sold in Igbariam. The
pesticidal control method using lime juice extract was The fruit is normally consumed raw alone or eaten
also examined.The samples (cucumber) were analyzed with other vegetables such as salad in Nigeria [5].
and examined using standard laboratory procedures. Cucumber is majorly cultivated because of its nutritional
Ethanol was used in extraction of the lime juice while and medicinal relevance. Seed kernels are occasionally
chloramphenicol was used as control. The result of the eaten [6].
analysis showed fungual pathogen such as mold,
Aspergilius spp, Fusarium spp and Alternaeria spp were Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is one of the most
found to be associated with spoilage in cucumber. The important economic vegetable crops all over the world. It is
result also showed that ethanol extract of lime juice tend cultivated in open fields and protected houses in Egypt for
to have good inhibitory effect on these organism, but a both local consumption and export. The occurrence of
better inhibition level is noted at 6mg/l which is fungal spoilage of fruits is recognized as a potential health
significant at p<0.05%. Lime juice extract showed the hazard to man due to their production of mycotoxins [7].
highest good inhibitory effect on mold (12mm) and
lowest on Aspergillus spp (6 mm) at 6mg/ml while Cucumber plants are subject to attack by several
chloramphenicol showed the highest good inhibitory fungal diseases that affect the yield quantity and quality
effect on Alternaeria spp (3.2mm) and lowest on including Alternaria tenuis, A. alternata, Botrytis cinerea,
Fusarium spp (1mm). This showed that the lime juice Choanephora cucurbitarum, Didymella bryoniae, Fusarium
extract have antifungal properties that can be helpful in oxysporum, Geotrichum candidum, Penicillium oxalicum,
the control and management of scab fungi of apple Phytophthora capsici, Rhizopus nigricans and Sphaerotheca
fruit.Therefore, the study recommended that farmer fuliginea [8,9,10,11].
should use lime juice for the control of fungi rot
organisms associated with cucumber and has the The ability of public health agencies to identify
potentials of causing damage loss of cucumber. through enhanced epidemiological and surveillance
techniques, raw vegetables as probable sources of infectious
Keywords:- Cucumber, Lime Juice, Fungi. microorganisms has undoubtedly resulted in increased
numbers of documented outbreaks. The risk of illness
I. INTRODUCTION associated with raw vegetable products can be reduced by
removing or killing pathogenic microorganisms by washing
Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is an important or treating them with sanitizers. However, the hydrophobic
vegetable used to be cultivated once annually during the cutin, diverse surface morphologies and abrasions in the
rainy season in Nigeria. It is an important vegetable epidermis of fruits and vegetables limits the efficacy of this
cultivated in Northern central, Nigeria both in rainy and treatment [12].
dry season using irrigation. The fruits serves as
refreshments during farming activities [1]. Vegetables are frequently consumed raw without being
exposed to the processes that reliably eliminates pathogens.
Cucumber is a creeping vine that bears cylindrical Washing fruits and vegetables in chlorinated water can
fruits. It is known as Cucumis sativus L, it belongs to the reduce bacterial levels but cannot be relied upon to eliminate
gourd family cucubitacea Other vegetables which belong pathogens. Eating or drinking contaminated foods or drinks

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Volume 6, Issue 4, April – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
can cause foodborne disease. Many different types of incubation period, the observed growth was subculture to
bacteria, viruses and parasites can contaminate food, so get a pure culture.
there is numerous different food borne infections. The
consumption of carrot, cucumber, onions and cabbage in 2.4 Colony Count
Nigeria has increased tremendously in the recent years The direct colony count method was used. In this
properly due to increased awareness on their health method, the colonies of fungi were counted directly from the
important. Carrot is known to contain an important cultured plate.
biologically active compound, carotenoid [13].
2.5 Identification of Fungi Isolate
Cucumber fruit rot is not only a challenge to the Both morphological and anatomical characteristics of
farmers but also the vegetable and fruit vendors who will the fungi were used in the identification process of the fungi
have to shelf it for sometimes in the course of selling. Rot isolate. This was done as follows.
occurring on shelf reduces shelf life and market value and
altogether renders fruits unfit for human consumption. There A: Morphological identification Methods of as described
is paucity of information on fungi associated with or by Cheesebrough [14]: The growth pattern and pigments
responsible for spoilage of cucumber fruits in the Nigeria, produced by the fungi was observed, match against those in
especially in Igbariam, Awka Anambra state. It as result of fungi identification kit and recorded accordingly.
this that this study focus on isolation and identification of B: Anatomical Identification: Here, guides according to
fungi associated with the spoilage of cucumber fruit sold in Alexopoulos [15] were used for the various tests and
Igbariam and the pesticidial control method using lime juice examinations. A smear of the fungi growth was fix on two
different slide and stained with distil water and lacto phenol.
II. MATERIALS AND METHOD Both of the smears were viewed under binocular microscope
and the anatomical characteristic recorded and as well match
The samples lime and cucumber were all purchased against those on fungi identification kit then identified
from Igbariam and transported in a sterile bag to Maeve accordingly.
academic research laboratory where it was identified before
being analysed in the laboratory. 2.6 Pathogenicity Test
The pathogenicity test was carried out to establish
2.1 Experimental Equipment which of the fungal isolates caused the rot and to determine
The equipment’s used in the experiment includes, whether they could induce similar symptoms on inoculation
autoclave, knife, binocular microscope, microscopic slide, and be re-isolated, thus fulfilling Koch’s postulates. The
slid cover, conical flask, 250ml and 500ml beaker, method of Okafor [16], Okigbo and Ikediugwu [17] were
inoculating loop, cotton wool, cork borer, foil, burnson adopted for the pathogenicity study.
burner petri dish and masking tape.
Pure culture of the fungi was isolated using inoculation
2.2 Experimental Reagents loop of length 5cm while a healthy apple fruit was surface
The reagents used includes Distil water, Ethanol, sterilized using 100% ethanol. With the use of cork borer, a
lactophenol, Potato Dextrox agar ( PDA). smooth deep cut was made on the healthy yam tuber to a
depth of 2cm with a diameter of 10mm wide. The pure
2.3 Samples Preparation Procedure culture of the fungi was inoculated and the 10mm cover of
the initial cut healthy apple fruit part was used to cover it.
2.3.1 Preparation of the samples The sample was kept in an incubation chamber for 72hr then
The surface of the sample was first surface sterilized being observed every 3 days to ascertain the pathogenicity
with 70% alcohol and the infected portion cut off into small of the organism.
pieces of size 3cm by 3cm then kept in beaker ready for use.
The cucumber fruit was grounded into paste under room 2.7 Anti-microbial Assay
temperature at 25± 10c and kept in 150ml beaker ready for Effect of plant extract on mycelia growth of the test
inoculation into culture media. The lime juice was extracted fungi was studied using the food poisoning techniques [18].
manually from the lime orange fruit through cold press 4mg/l, 6mg/l and 8mg/l of the plant extract were pipetted
method and well kept in 150ml beaker. into labelled petri dishes containing the pure culture of the
microbial organism respectively. The Inhibition zones of the
2.3.2 Preparation Of Culture Media microorganism was evaluated and recorded in terms of
The method was employed and used in the preparation radial growth of the microbes on the medium with and
of the culture media. One gram of potato dextros agar without extracts and results were analysed on the basis of
(PDA) was dissolved in 45ml of distil water, then percentage growth Zone inhibitions of microorganisms. The
autoclaved for 15min under the pressure of 15 pounds inhibition of microbial growth on PDA medium was used to
pressure(psi) at a temperature of 1210C. The media was quantify the toxicity of extracts. Percentage growth
poured into petri dish and allowed to cool into cake form inhibition for 5 days was calculated.
ready for inoculation. The prepared apple sample that was
cut from off from the infected surface was inoculated culture % growth inhibition = R1 – R2 X 100
media and incubated for 72hours for growth. After the R2

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Volume 6, Issue 4, April – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
Where R1 = is the furthest radial distance of pathogens in Fig 1, shows that Alternaeria spp is highly inhibited by
control plates the extract followed by Fusarium spp, while Aspergilius spp
Where R2 = is the furthest radial distance of pathogens in and mold fungi are not really inhibited.
extract (treated) plates. The inhibition percentage was
determined as a guide in selecting the minimum inhibition
concentration that will be effective in controlling the
microbial organisms.

2.8 Statistical Analysis

Data collected were subjected to two-way analysis of
variance (ANOVA) with the use of Sigmaplot version 12
statistical software to ascertain the level of significance of
the treatment given to at LSD0.05% .

III. RESULTS

Table 4.1 Anti-Microbial Inhibition zone of lime juice

Microorganism 4mg/ml 6mg/ml Control
(Chloramphenico
l)
Aspergilius spp 3mm 6 mm 3.1mm
Fusarrium spp 5mm 8mm 1mm Fig 2: Zone of inhibition fungi organism treated with
Mold 3.mm 12mm 3mm lime juice extract at 6mg/l
Alternaeria spp 7mm 9mm 3.2mm
Fig 2 shows that at 6mg/l mold fungi is highly
Table 4.1 shows that the fungi rot organism isolated inhibited followed by Alternaeria spp and Fusarium spp and
from cucumber included Aspergilius spp, Fusarrium spp, least in Aspergilius spp. This mean that at concentration of
mold and Alternateria spp. This fungi were noted to be at 6mg/l there will be more inhibition of the mold and
different dosage with corresponding inhibition zone. alternaeria spp
Aspergilius spp was seen to be inhibited up 3mm at 4mg/l,
fusarium is 5mg/l, mold fungi, 3mm and Alternaeria spp Table 4.2:Two-Way ANOVA
7mm. at 6mg/l Aspergilius spp was inhibited up to 6mm
Fusarium spp 8mm, mold fungi was highly inhibited as
indicated by 12mm zone of inhibition while Aternaeria spp
is 9mm. the control experiment inhibition is less than the
extract inhibition level. This indicates that lime juice has a
significant effect on the fungi as a control method.
Tested at 0.05% level of significance

Table 4.2 shows that the treatment dosages of 4mg/l

and 6mg/l are all significant at p<0.05% . This means that
at both dosages, the fungi organisms of cucumber is
inhibited.

Table 4.3: Least significant mean differences for

treatment Dosage

Result are in mean± standard deviation (LSD0.05%)

Table 4.3 shows that treatment dosage of 6mg/l has the

highest mean value which as compared to 4mg/l. this infers
that 6mg/l is a better treatment dosage for the control of
cucumber rot fungi.

Fig 1: Zone of inhibition fungi organism treated with

lime juice extract at 4mg/l

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Volume 6, Issue 4, April – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165

Plate 1: Colonies of Cultured Fungi Plate 4: Pure culture of Alternaeria spp

Plate 2: Pure culture of Aspergilius spp Plate 5: Microscopic view of Alternaeria spp(x10)

Plate 3: Pure Culture of mold fungi Plate 6: Microscopic view of mold fungi(x10)

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Volume 6, Issue 4, April – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
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