Identification and characterization of Aspergillus species of fruit rot fungi using microscopy, FT-IR, Raman and UV-Vis spectroscopy

Abstract

During the investigation of fungal isolation from fruit, the major genera were Aspergillus, Penicillium, cladosporium, Alternaria, fusarium, Colletotrichum were found. Among them Aspergillus (15 species) was found major dominant on different fruits. Fifteen different Aspergillus species viz. Aspergillus brasiliensis, Aspergillus phoenicis, Aspergillus carbonarius, four Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus acidus, two Aspergillus awamori, Aspergillus aculeatus, Aspergillus eucalypticola, Aspergillus oryzae and two Aspergillus Spp. have been differentiate and identify using morphology (microscopic technique), Fourier Transforms Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman Spectroscopy (RS) and UV-visible spectrophotometry (UV-vis). The fungal mass in powder form was used in present study. In FTIR the finger print region is important for the characterization of Aspergillus because this region is unique and contains peaks indicating the presence of DNA. From the results were found Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) technique and Raman spectroscopy a useful tool, sensitive, fast, economical, accurate, not require sample preparation and successfully used to identify fungi.

Keywords: Aspergillus; FTIR–ATR spectroscopy; Fruit rot fungi; Morphology; Raman spectroscopy; Species; UV–Vis spectroscopy.