Studies on The Control of Three Species of Fungi Isolated From Sorghum with Extracts of Galic (Allium sativum) and Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Abstract

Fungi contaminate grains and seeds with mycotoxins. The consumption of such mycotoxin contaminated grains by mammals cause mycotoxicoses. This has a great public health significance because the toxins are nephrotoic, immunotoxic, tetratogenic and clastogenic.. These can cause death and disorder of central nervous system. They can also cause pulmonary system and intestinal tract disorder. Sorghum are important crops in Nigeria, Mali and Niger. The objective of this study include the isolation of three fungi associated with sorghum in storage, test for the presence of mycotoxin in stored sorghum, determination of antifungal activity of Allium sativum and Zingiber officinale. Results of the identification of fungi associated with stored sorghum showed that it contains Aspergilus oryzae, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger. Assay for mycotoxin showed that Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus niger produced aflatoxins B1.. Fumanisin B1 and aflatoxinB1 were produced by Aspergillus flavus. This finding will serve the purpose of alerting consumers on the dangers of consuming poorly stored sorghum. The results of this study also suggest that extracts of plants could prevent the growth of fungi in stored sorghum and also serve as a source of chemotherapeutic agents.