Occurrence and Distribution of Fungal Species Associated with Maize in Selected Farms in Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

Maize is an important staple crop worldwide, but fungal diseases are a major cause of yield losses for farmers. This study aimed at identifying the fungal species associated with maize from selected farms in Plateau State, Nigeria. Maize seeds were collected from infected plants, surface-sterilized, and plated on potato dextrose agar amended with gentamicin and streptomycin. After incubation, fungal colonies were identified based on macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. Four fungal species were identified: Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium sp., and Penicilliumsp. The occurrence of each species was recorded for each farm, Fusarium sp. was present in three farms, with the highest frequency in F3 farm (2 colonies), having a total occurrence of 22.22% across all farms. Penicillium sp. was the lowest frequency present in any of the farms; this fungal isolate was present in two farms and having a total occurrence of 14.81% across all farms. The percentages in the table help to compare the relative occurrence of each fungal isolate within and across the farms. Data were analyzed using chi square test to identify any patterns or trends in the occurrence of the fungal species across the farms. This information can be valuable for understanding the prevalence and distribution of fungal species associated with maize in the selected farms in Plateau State, Nigeria.

Keywords: Maize, fungal species, Plateau State