In vitro Inhibition of Fusarium by Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB): Implication of Yam Disease Control for Economic Growth in Nigeria

Abstract

Yam is an important crop in Nigeria, where it is produced both as food and cash crop. Fusarium rots of yam are among the most important postharvest pathogens of yam worldwide, causing a lot of postharvest losses in stored yam tubers. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) lower the pH and create an environment that is unfavorable to pathogens and spoilage organisms. In vitro inhibition of fusarium spp by LAB was investigated; mono-culture and multi-culture were used. The inhibition tests were carried out with pure cultures of LAB and fusarium spp. The pure culture of actively growing Fusarium was used to inoculate Potato Dextrose Agar medium aseptically and then incubated at room temperature for 72h. The diameter of the growing Fusarium was measured, after which less than a loop full of actively growing (18-24 h) LAB isolates were used to inoculate