Fungi Associated with the Inhibition of Germination of Cowpea Seeds

Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. (Cowpea) is a legume that is significant in the diet of millions of people around the world. The physiological impact of fungal encroachment on stored cowpea seeds include: increased seed temperature and mustiness, increased fatty acid production, reduced sugar quality and respiration rate, production of mycotoxins (which if consumed may be harmful to man and animals) and loss in seed weight and viability (Etaware and Ogungbemile, 2019). There are very few reports on the effects of fungi on the germination and growth of cowpea. Therefore, this research was setup to analyze the impact of fungal infection on the germination parameters of cowpea seeds. Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus were the most virulent of all the strains of fungal species tested, as they inhibited the germination of a total of 80% (each) of the cowpea seeds treated with the spore suspension of the pathogens. Fusarium oxysporum inhibited the germination of 70% of cowpea seeds inoculated its spore suspension, while a total of 60% of the cowpea seeds inoculated with A. fumigatus lost their germination potentials after the pretreatment with the spore suspension of the pathogen. Rhizopus stolonifer and A. niger had milder effects on the germinating cowpea seeds as they each inhibited 50% and 0% respectively of the inoculated cowpea seeds at the end of the experiment