Effect of Fungal Deterioration on Lipid Content of Sesame Seeds (Sesanum Indicum L)

Abstract

Fungi associated with diseased seeds of Sesamum indicum L. from four markets in Jos and Okene central market were isolated to study the deteriorative changes in lipid content. In terms of number and fungal species abundance, Faringada market had the highest fungal occurrence, while Aspergillus niger showed the highest percentage occurrence in that market. Visually healthy seeds of Sesanum indicum were inoculated with spores of each of the nine fungi isolated from diseased seeds and incubated at 25+20c for 7days. The healthy and fungal infected seeds were analysed for their lipid content. Significant decreases in lipid content were observed in the seeds inoculated with all the fungi except in seeds inoculated with G. candidum, which showed increase in lipid content. A. chevalieri was responsible for the maximum depletion of the lipid content of the seeds. The results clearly indicate that these fungal species are capable of depleting the lipid content in storage.