The production of gibberellic acid from shea nut shell (Vitellaria paradoxa) using Fusarium moniliforme

The fungus Fusarium moniliforme was used to produce gibberellic acid from the shell of Shea nut (Vitellaria paradoxa). The shea nut shell was dried, sieved to remove the dirt and then blended. The shea nut shell was pretreated with acid and steam. The powdered shell was then used as substrate in separate shake-flasks which contained mineral salts medium (MSM) and inoculum of Fusarium moniliforme for gibberellic acid production. The media contained the substrate, inoculum size 1.5%, substrate concentration 10% and pH 5.5 for 9 days; the result obtained at day1 was (0.10mg/ml) and at day 9 of the fermentation, the yield was (0.13mg/ml). In the production of this acid, the substrate concentration was varied from 2-12%, with the highest yield at 10% (1.60mg/ml); the inocula sizes were also varied from 0.5-2.5%, inoculum size 1.5% produced the highest yield (1.61mg/ml) and the pH was varied from 4.0-6.0, whereby pH 5.5 produced the highest yield (1.70mg/ml). These fermentation parameters were combined in a single optimization experiment. The result obtained from the optimization experiment gibberellic acid fermentation was 1.82mg/ml.

Author(s): O. S. Kobomoje, A. O. Mohammed and P. F. Omojasola

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