Effect of Potash Alum on the Mycoflora of Postharvest Spoilage of Solanum lycopersicum L (Tomato) | Chapter 7 | Current Research Trends in Biological Science Vol. 1
Solanum lycopersicum L (Tomato) is one of the most economically attractive and widely consumed vegetables globally. Their high water content, perishability, transport and poor storage system predisposes them to spoilage by a broad spectrum of mycoflora resulting in huge postharvest losses. This study investigates the effect of Potash Alum (PA) on postharvest spoilage of S. lycopersicum L (Tomato). Composite samples of deteriorating tomatoes were subjected to standard mycological analysis from which total fungal colony counts obtained ranged from 1.64x106-5.70x109 CFU/g, and the following species were identified; Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Fusarium sp, Penicillium sp, Rhizopus stolonifer, Geotrichum candidium and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In vitro antifungal activity of potash alum (1% (w/v) concentration) was determined on some of the isolates by agar well method (AWM) and diameter of inhibition zone (DIZ) measured using a metre rule. G. candidum had the highest DIZ (9.0mm (29.0%)...