Isolation and Identification of Fungi from the Seeds of Acacia Species through Applying Blotter Test Method
Ahmed Hashim Ahmed *
Crop Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
Ahmed Ismail Ahmed Safi
Institute of Gum Arabic Research and Desertification Studies, University of Kordofan, Elobied, Sudan.
Ghada Bakri Mohammed
Crop Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
Awad Elkarim Suliman Osman Khalifa
Department of Desertification Studies and Environment, Institute of Gum Arabic Research and Desertification, University of Kordofan, Elobeid, Sudan.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
One of the most important recently issue facing Acacia species (Acacia senegal Acacia nilotica and Acacia mellifera) is the threat of continuity of natural generation due to seed contamination with fungi, therefore this study aimed to isolate and identify such fungi. Seed of these species were gathered from different States in Sudan. The growing-on tests were checked in the green house. Further, some methods were conducted in the laboratory to identify the seed-borne fungi using the dry inspection and the blotter test (both surface sterilized and non-sterilized seeds). Nine seed-borne fungi species were isolated and identified. Dry inspection of all acacias spp. showed few discolored seeds. The growing-on tests revealed no virus or disease like symptoms. Generally the germination percentage of treated seeds of Acacia spp. (Hashab, sunut and kitir) is higher than that of untreated ones. The most important fungi species recorded from the untreated Hashab seeds were Aspergillus niger. Other fungi recorded included A. flavus, A, nidulans, Rhizopus sp. and Pecicillium sp. In case of untreated Sunt seeds, it is clear that A. niger is the most contaminant, other contaminant fungi detected included A. flavus and A, nidulans. A. niger and A. flavus are the most dominant species recorded in case of untreated Kitir. Treated Hashab seeds showed that A. niger and A. flavus. and none of Alternaria alternata. Other fungi detected include A. nidulans, Rhizopus sp., Curvularia lunata, Stumphilium sp. and Cladosporium sp. A. niger is the most dominant fungi species recorded from treated Sunt seeds. Other fungi species detected included A. flavus, A. nidulans and Rhizopus sp. the most common fungi species detected from the treated Kitir seeds is A. niger. Other fungi detected included A. flavus, A. nidulans, Rhizopus sp., Curvularia sp., Penicillium sp. and Stumphilium sp. It can be concluded that fungi are the main danger that hinders Acacia spp. seed germination process and there is a strong association between the seed contamination and the percentage of germination failure.
Blotter test is an efficient and reliable method to detect the seed-borne fungi in the laboratory.
Keywords: Fungi, Acacia species, seeds of Acacia species, Germination percentage and blotter test