Determination of the Soil Microflora of a Soil Near Microbiology Laboratory at the University of Ilorin Main Campus

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Microbiology, University of Ilorin, P.M.B 1515, Ilorin, Nigeria

2 Department of Biological Sciences, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria

3 Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, P.M.B 1489, Ilorin, Nigeria

Abstract

The microflora of a soil near microbiology laboratory at the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria was analyzed in this study. Total bacterial count and total fungal count of the soil samples were determined using standard spread plate technique. Six soil samples were collected with interval of two weeks between two samples. Identification of the isolates was done using their colonial, morphological, and biochemical characteristics and established procedures were followed. The total bacterial counts ranged from 1.4 x 108 to 1.7 x 108   cfu/g and the total fungal counts ranged from 1.4 x 105   to 1.5 x 105   cfu/g. The bacteria isolated were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Acetobacter species, Lactobacillus species, Erwinia species, Klebsiella species, Bacillus subtilis, Clostridium species, and Bacillus cereus. Isolated fungi were Rhizopus oryzae, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Mucor hiemalis, Penicillium chrysogenum, Fusarium oxysporium, and Trichophyton rubrum.

Keywords