EFFECTS OF CULTURE FILTRATES OF PATHOGENIC FUNGI ON SEED GERMINATION AND SEEDLING INDICES OF Chrysophyllum albidum (G.Don)

Abstract

This research was to evaluate the effects of culture filtrates of pathogenic fungi on seed germination and seedling indices of Chrysophyllum albidum (G.Don). The experiment was carried out at the Mycology Unit, Department of Forestry and Environment, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworkwo and was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and the treatment was replicated twenty times and the mean value separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test at probability of 5%. The biodeterioration of the fruits were caused by micro-organisms associated with the infected fruits obtained from three markets in Port Harcourt Metropolis. The micro-organisms isolated and identified include; Apsergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifer, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The results on frequency occurrence of micro-organisms in the three markets revealed that  fruits obtained from Mile 1 market, Rhizopus stolonifer (8.0% ± 0.21) had the highest frequency occur, Mile 3 market, Aspergillus niger (12.0% ± 0.30) had the highest frequency, while from Fruit garden market, Aspergillus niger (15.0% ± 0.28) was the highest. Results on the mean percentage of frequency of micro-organisms isolated from infected fruits of C. albidum revealed that Mile 3 (51.6%) had the highest mean percentage followed by Fruit garden (48.3%) and Mile 1 (31.6%) was the lowest. Pathogenicity test results revealed that Trichoderma harziarum extract (29.5mm ± 0.28) caused significant (p ≤ 0.05) rot damage on a relatively healthy fruits of C. albidum followed by Aspergillus niger (26.5mm ± 0.06) and the least were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (25.5mm ± 0.31) and Rhizopus stolonifer (25.0mm ± 0.25). Results on effect of culture filtrates on seed germination and seedling indices of C. albidum revealed that T. harzianum (70%) had the highest seed germination percentage and the lowest was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20%). Results on vigour index showed that T. harzianum (13.8) had the highest index followed by the control (12.0), R. stolonifer (4.8), A. niger (4.2) and the lowest was P. aeruginosa (1.2). It was reported that culture filtrate of A.niger inhibited seed germination and subsequent seedling indices while culture filtrates of T. harzianum caused effective increase of seed germination and seedling indices. Results of this research therefore recommended T. harzianum extracts for improved seed germination and subsequent seedling performance of C. albidum.

KEYWORDS: Culture filtrates, micro-organisms, germination, seedling indices

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/12-8-04

Publication date: April 30th 2022