ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF SOME FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH THE SPOILAGE OF CUCURITA PEPO IN KATSINA METROPOLIS

This study investigates the fungal diversity, distribution, and morphological characteristics associated with the spoilage of Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) in Katsina Metropolis. Fungal species were isolated from pumpkins collected at three major markets: Kofar Marusa, Chake Market, and Kofar Kaura. The percentage occurrence of each fungal species was determined, alongside total fungal load estimation. The findings revealed significant variation in fungal prevalence across the study sites. Mucor hiemalis was the dominant species at Kofar Marusa (77.77%), while Rhizopus stolonifer overwhelmingly prevailed at Chake Market (89.20%), and Botrytiscinerea was most frequent at Kofar Kaura (54.54%). The highest fungal load was recorded at Kofar Kaura (11.0 × 10⁶ CFU/g), followed by Chake (5.7 × 10⁶ CFU/g), and the lowest at Kofar Marusa (2.7 × 10⁶ CFU/g). Morphological and cultural characterization confirmed the presence of multiple spoilage fungi, including Aspergillusflavus, Fusariumoxysporum, Phomasorghina, and Penicilliumdigitatum. The variation in fungal distribution suggests that environmental factors, handling practices, and storage conditions influence fungal proliferation. These findings underscore the need for improved post-harvest handling and storage techniques to mitigate fungal-induced spoilage and reduce economic losses.