ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION FUNGAL RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTAMINATION OF SWEET ORANGE (CITRUS sinensis) AND BANANA FRUITS USING BITTER LEAF AND SCENT LEAF

It has been recognized that fruits are commercially and nutritionally important food product. Fruits play an important role in human nutrition by contributing the necessary growth factors such as vitamins and essential minerals in human daily diet maintaining a good and normal health. 20 grams of vernonia anygdalina and Occimum gratissimum were collected and dried for seven days and crushed in a mortar and pestle. The sample was soaked with 90% ethanol into a 250ml conical flask and was allowed to settle for 48 hours. Pathogenicity or decay test was carried out in order to know if the isolated fungi were really responsible for the spoilage of citrus fruits and banana. Healthy fruits were surface with 75% alcohol-cylindrical plug tissues were cut out from fruits using a sterilized 2mm sized cork borer. It was concluded that Vernonia amygdalina and Occimum gratissimum leaf extracts can control and reduce the growth of fungi disease in Citrus sinensis (Sweet orange). This serves as an alternative means of reducing and controlling in Citrus sinensis and Musa acuminata. It was recommended that bitter leaf and scent leaf should be used to preserve oranges and some other fruits and vegetables to avoid decay.