Phytochemical Screening and Antifungal Activities of Zingiber officinale (Roscoe) on Mycotoxigenic Fungi Associated with the Deterioration of Pennisetum glaucum Grains

The control of mycotoxigenic fungal isolates associated with deterioration of Pennisetum glaucum grains using Zingiber officinale (Roscoe) roots extracts were investigated in this study. Aqueous, Methanol and acetone solvents were used in the extraction of Z. officinale root extracts. The extracts were screened for phytochemicals which revealed the presence of alkaloids, cardiac glycoside, tannin, saponin, flavonoids and terpenoids. A total of fourteen (14) fungi were isolated from pearl millet grains using standard microbiological method. These include: Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillum frequentans, Penicillum chrysogenum, Penicillum italicum, Penicillum oxallicum, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium subglutinans, Trichoderma harzanium, Beauveria bassiana, Mucor mucedo, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The antifungal activities of Z. officinale root extracts on fungal isolates from deteriorating pearl millet grains were carried out using agar well diffusion technique. Findings from the study revealed that Z. officianalis extracts demonstrated a varying degree of antifungal activity against the fungal isolates from pearl millet grains. Methanollic extract of Z. officinale displayed the highest antifungal activity against the isolates compared to aqueous and acetone extracts. The result of the commercial antifungal agents revealed the great effectiveness of fluconazole over griseofulvin in the control of mycotoxigenic fungi associated with the deterioration of pearl millet grains. In light of these findings, Z. officianalis extracts can be employed in the control of mycotoxigenic fungi associated with the deterioration of Pearl millet grains and can also be developed fully into a biocontrol agent upon purification and used in the control of mycotoxigenic fungi associated with the infection of cereal grains.