IJMAAS
 

International Journal of Microbiology and Applied Sciences

...science in the Development of Community and World at Large

Contemporary Food Waste Formulation; Alternative Culture Media for Trichoderma species

Akomah-Abadaike, O.N* and Okolo, R. S

Vol 4, Issue 3, 2025

KEYWORDS

Researchers and industry aim to utilize food waste for positive reasons. Processing cassava generates a lot of waste, which is widely regarded as a major source of pollution in the environment. Alternative media for Trichoderma species development were developed in this study. Agar media were made independently from the peels of cassava and yam. Using potato dextrose agar (PDA) as a control, Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma viride, which were isolated from dumpsite soil, were cultivated on the prepared media. Over the course of four (4) days, the growth rate of Trichoderma spp. was measured and varied from 6 to 8 mm. On yam peel dextrose agar (YPDA), Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma viride grew more readily than on cassava peel dextrose agar (CPDA). As of day, four (4), Trichoderma harzianum had grown by 62.2% in CPDA, 88.9% in YPDA, and 100% in PDA, whereas Trichoderma viride had grown by 48.9%, 66.7%, and 100% in CPDA, YPDA and PDA respectively. The findings showed that, Trichoderma species were able to proliferate when exposed to yam and cassava peels. Therefore, to reduce the expense of growing fungi using synthetic media, cassava and yam peels could be used as an alternative fungal medium instead of being thrown away as garbage that will contaminate the environment.

Abstract

Researchers and industry aim to utilize food waste for positive reasons. Processing cassava generates a lot of waste, which is widely regarded as a major source of pollution in the environment. Alternative media for Trichoderma species development were developed in this study. Agar media were made independently from the peels of cassava and yam. Using potato dextrose agar (PDA) as a control, Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma viride, which were isolated from dumpsite soil, were cultivated on the prepared media. Over the course of four (4) days, the growth rate of Trichoderma spp. was measured and varied from 6 to 8 mm. On yam peel dextrose agar (YPDA), Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma viride grew more readily than on cassava peel dextrose agar (CPDA). As of day, four (4), Trichoderma harzianum had grown by 62.2% in CPDA, 88.9% in YPDA, and 100% in PDA, whereas Trichoderma viride had grown by 48.9%, 66.7%, and 100% in CPDA, YPDA and PDA respectively. The findings showed that, Trichoderma species were able to proliferate when exposed to yam and cassava peels. Therefore, to reduce the expense of growing fungi using synthetic media, cassava and yam peels could be used as an alternative fungal medium instead of being thrown away as garbage that will contaminate the environment.

Current: Vol. 5, Issue 1, 2026

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