Evaluation of Post-Harvest Fungi Pathogens Associated with Fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook F) Seeds Sold Within Port Harcourt Metropolis in Rivers State, Nigeria

The study on the Evaluation of Post-Harvest Fungi Pathogens Associated with Fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook F) Seeds was carried out to investigate the fungal organisms associated with post-harvest rot in fluted pumpkin seeds. The samples of the plant seeds were collected from mile 3 market, Port Harcourt, Rivers State and isolation was carried out using standard microbial methods in the Plant Science and Biotechnology Laboratory, Rivers State University. The seeds were subjected to series of culturing, and sub-culturing under aseptic conditions, after which 4 pure cultures were obtained, of which three were identified as Geotrichum candidum with a 75% occurrence and one identified as Curvularia sp. with a 25% occurrence. Both microscopic and morphological characteristics were used to identify these associated organisms and pathogenicity tests confirmed their involvement in post-harvest rot of fluted pumpkin seeds.