Molecular Identification of Fungal Pathogens Associated with Post-harvest Yam Tubers Rot in Mbam et Kim Division (Cameroon) with Emphasis on Penicillium monomenatosum (Frisvad, Filt. & Wicklow) as a First Report

Lile Christere Nguemnang Mabou¹, Modeste Lambert Sameza^2, , Severin Nguemezi Tchameni², Pierre Eke^{1, 2}, Rufin Marie Kouipou Toghueo¹, Alessandra Albertini³, Pierre Gilbert Tamghe Gomsi¹ and Fabrice Fekam Boyom¹

¹Antimicrobial & Biocontrol Agents Unit (AmBcAU), Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry and Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, P. O. Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon.

²Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, P O Box 24 157, Douala, Cameroon.

³Laboratory of Genetic and Microbiology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italia

Cite this paper:
Lile Christere Nguemnang Mabou, Modeste Lambert Sameza, Severin Nguemezi Tchameni, Pierre Eke, Rufin Marie Kouipou Toghueo, Alessandra Albertini, Pierre Gilbert Tamghe Gomsi and Fabrice Fekam Boyom. Molecular Identification of Fungal Pathogens Associated with Post-harvest Yam Tubers Rot in Mbam et Kim Division (Cameroon) with Emphasis on Penicillium monomenatosum (Frisvad, Filt. & Wicklow) as a First Report. American Journal of Microbiological Research. 2020; 8(2):73-78. doi: 10.12691/ajmr-8-2-5

Abstract

Nowadays, increasingly complains mention tremendous decay of stored yam tubers in the Mbam et Kim Division, the main producing zone of Cameroon. Knowledge of the specific fungi responsible for yam spoilage is paramount for proper preservation by implementing plausible control measures. This study was therefore undertaken to identify the causative fungal agents associated with yam tubers rot in the survey zone. The isolation of suspicious pathogens was performed as per the Koch’s postulates encompassing artificial inoculation, symptoms recording, re-isolation and comparisons-based re-identification. The identity of isolates was later on ascertained by the sequencing of the 5.8S ribosomal DNA gene (ITS1 and ITS2). Overall, seven fungal species: Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium monomenatosum, Rhizopus oryzea, Talaromyces flavovirens and Bionectria cf. ochroleuca were recovered. P. monomenatosum is reported here for the first time as causative agent of yam rot. The obtained results unveil the identity of the devastating fungus threatening yam availability to consumers throughout the year in Cameroon and represent an initial and crucial step toward planning efficient and reliable control measure to counter the yam rot epidemic.

Keywords:
Mbam et Kim division fungi yam tubers rot Penicillium monomenatosum

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