The Effect of Fungi In Inhibiting the Growth of Microorganisms - Lab Report Example

The Effect of Fungi In Inhibiting the Growth of Microorganisms. Moulds (Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus niger) and yeasts are a vital category of organisms relevance in the food industry. This study sought to investigate the Moulds (Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus niger) as an inhibitor of various antimicrobials. It was hypothesized that there is a significant differences in counts of the organisms from air using various methods. The findings indicate that there is significant difference (P>0.05) in numbers of organisms isolated using either an air sampler or leaving a plate open for a similar period of time. Introduction Fungi are among microorganisms that cause diseases of Vaccinium corymbosum L (highbush blueberry) (Allan, Hadwiger, 1979). In this plant, Topospora myrtilli (Feltg.) Boerema, is the most dangerous pathogens (Król, 2004). It is the cause of shoot necrosis. This disease symptoms often occur majorly in lower section of the shoots and occurs in the form of ellipsoidal necrotic spots of the chestnut-brown colour. Additionally, the shoots that have been attacked by this disease have a purple edge with a brighter centre. The shoot eventually dies out at the point of infection (Machowicz-Stefaniak, & Zalewska, 2001). The pathogen is dangerous because of the perennial cultivation of the plant. For young plants, the disease is very dangerous. Its characteristic destructive effect causes the entire shrub to die out. There are numerous species of a non-pathogenic fungi, besides the pathogenic species that occur the highbush blueberry’s overground (Groves, 1965). The species may be neutral on some pathogens but they may inhibit their growth. This is an important factor as far as the process of naturally controlling the size of the population of the pathogenic factors is concerned (Łacicowa, & Pięta, 1989). The antagonistic characteristics of microorganisms can be explored to be used in biologically controlling the population of pathogens (Fokema, 1995). Studies have demonstrated the possible use of such microorganisms in microbiological preparations applicable in plant protections. Other studies have indicated the use of fungi especially from genera: Gliocladium and Trichoderma to protect certain plants species through a wide spectrum of pathogens. Likewise, studies have demonstrated the use of genera Epicoccum and Penicillium to inhibit growth of some microorganisms (Foschi, et al., 1994). Some of the bacterial and fungal that can be inhibited by the three pathogens include Colletotrichum spp, Botrytis cinerea, and Penicillium spp. evidently, there is limited studies in the body of literature that focused on Penicillium sp. As an inhibitor of the growth of microorganisms. Just like the different species of penicillium genus, P.chrysogenus normally reproduces through the formation of the dry spore chain from the canidiophores that are brush-shaped. The conidia are blue-green to blue, and they have yellow pigments. The microscopic and morphological features of observation are always required in confirming the identity and sequencing of the DNA from the related species. Aspergillus mostly referred to as A. niger involves a fungus and a common species of the Aspergillus, which may lead to an illness referred to as the black mould. The illness may be found on vegetables and fruits like onions, grapes, and peanuts. The fungus, therefore, is ubiquitous in different soils, contaminates the food, and mostly found in indoor loctions, where the black colonies may easily be confused with the stachybotrys. Other A.niger strains may give mycotoxins that are referred to as ochratoxins. They also give the isoflavone orobol. This study focused on investigating the antimicrobial activity of various moulds, the fluorescence in the yeast and the moulds, and the air sampling and organism identification. On the other hand, moulds and yeasts are organism that are relevance in food industry. They are widely dispersed and found in different locations. Even though these organisms form a single eukaryotic group of organisms, they vary in their form. Yeast are classified into the single celled organisms whose reproduction is by a process referred to as budding, in which the parent cells are bud off by the daughter cells resulting into new singled cells. Yeast often thrive on drinks and foods matrices. They are always found in planktonic form tending to ferment the sugars in the anaerobic conditions. On the other hand, moulds exist in formats that are multicellular often referred to as hyphal mat. They are characteristically aerobic thence adapted to areas with oxygen. The focus of this study was investigating the effect of fungi In inhibiting the growth of microorganisms. H1: there will be a significant difference in numbers of organisms isolated using an air sampler compared to leaving open agar plates in the air for a similar period of time H0: there will be no significant difference in numbers of organisms isolated using either an air sampler or leaving a plate open for a similar period of time Objectives. The prime objectives of the study was to isolate the mould and yeast from the sources of environment, to find out whether there were differences in counts of the organisms from air using various methods, to find out the traits of different microorganisms using different methods, and to how various antimicrobials influence growth of bacteria on solid media. Methods The experiment was done as per the protocol and results recorded as shown in the result section of this report. Results Figure 01 shows the number of numbers of organisms under air sampler compared to leaving open agar plates in the air for a similar period of time. Table 1 shows results of statistical analysis for the numbers of organisms under air sampler compared to leaving open agar plates in the air for a similar period of time. Table 1: Variable 1 Variable 2 Mean 93.41176 10.64706 Variance 21186.88 1004.368 Observations 17 17 Pooled Variance 11095.63 Hypothesized Mean Difference 0 Df 32 t Stat 2.290756 P(T0.05) in numbers of organisms isolated using either an air sampler or leaving a plate open for a similar period of time. This means that the observed differences in numbers of organisms isolated using either an air sampler or leaving a plate open is not due to chance. This results confirm that organisms vary depending on the conditions. Besides, this findings confirm that various antimicrobials influence on growth of bacteria on solid media. Generally, Moulds (Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus niger) significantly inhibited the growth of the bacteria that were tested. Of the two Penicillium chrysogenum was the most effective (picture 01). Cerevisiae Cerevisiae photo Pombe oil pombe REFERENCES Allan C. Hadwiger L. 1979. The fungicidal effect of the chitosan on fungi of cell wall composition. Exp. Mycol., 4, 285-287. Pliszka K. & Borecki Z. 1978. Zgorzel pędów borówki wywołana przez Godronia cassandrae (Peck.) [The necrosis of high bush blueberry shoots which is caused by the fungi Godronia cassandrae (Peck.)] Groves. Acta Agrobotanica, XXXI (1/2), 159-171 [in Polish]. Barazani A, Cohen A., Abir H., Balum B.& Elad Y. 1996. Selection of the antagonistic saprophytes for suppression of Botrytis cinerea sporulation on Kiwifruit tissue. XI th International Botrytis Symposium, Wageningen, Netherlands, 74. Farr D., Bills F., Chamuris G.P., Rossman A., 1995. Fungi on plants and products in the United States. 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