Comprehensive Data on Fungi Contamination of Pearl Millet from Nigeria and their Control by Trichoderma atroviride

Abstract

This paper established a detail fungal profiles of Pearl millet (PM) across Nigeria and test the anti-fungi properties of an endophytic fungi Trichodermaatroviride, isolated from the PM samples. A total of 238 PM samples were obtained from six agro- ecological zones, from market and store outlets in Nigeria. The fungal profile was determined conventionally and confirmed molecularly. The toxigenicity of fungi recovered was tested using Ultra High performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) by determining their ability to produce mycotoxins. Two methods of dual- culture techniques (Method I & II) were employed to test the bio-fungicidal effect of Trichodermaatroviride (KT020825.1 strain isolated from pearl millet against other major fungal spp. (A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger, F. oxysporum and P. oxalicum) by determining the percentage inhibition radial growth FUTURE OF PMPH 2023 March 30-31, 2023 (PIRG), colony over growth and inhibition of mycotoxin biosynthesis. The results obtained showed presence of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusariumspp. and eleven (11) other fungi species. A low fungal loads (range: 0.77x103 to 3.83 x103 CFU/g) were recorded, with market samples being contaminated at higher levels. Specifically, PM samples from the dry zones of Southern Guinea Savannah (SGS) and Northern Guinea Savannah (NGS) recorded higher fungi incidence compared to the other four zones. Trichodermaatroviride (KT020825.1) isolated had an antagonistic effect against the growth of five fungal species and mycotoxin biosynthesis, with high PIRG range (50-79 %) as shown in Table 1. Pearl millet from Nigeria has shown to be less prominent to fungi proliferation, thus Pearl millet could be explored further to serve as bio- fungistatic agent.