Cane Brown Sugar Supported Better Fungal Growth than D-glucose in Formulated Fungal Growth Media

Abstract

Microbial growth media remain central requirements in microbiological and biotechnological studies. This study evaluated the viability of inexpensive fungal media formulated from easily accessible crops (nutrient sources), D-glucose, and cane brown sugar (energy sources). Prior to media formulation, the mineral and nutrient compositions of the flours of the selected food crops were determined. The flours were then used to formulate two sets of fungal growth media. D-glucose served as the main carbon/energy source in the first set, while local cane brown sugar was used in the second set. Fusarium oxysporum, Trichosporon species, Penicillium cyclopium, Rhodotorula species, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were all grown on each of the formulated media for 5 days. The growth rates of the test fungi were compared to each other and to the corresponding value in Potato Dextrose Agar (ready-to-use control fungal medium). All the formulated growth media supported the growth of the test fungi, albeit to varying extents. However, potato based media were the most consistent in yielding growth rates at least comparable to those on PDA. Comparisons of the media sets in terms of the primary carbon source revealed that the cane brown sugar-supplemented media outperformed (p < 0.05) their D-glucose supplemented counterparts in terms of both growth-supporting ability and cost effectiveness. According to the current study, cane brown sugar could replace D-glucose in fungal growth media more effectively and at a lower cost. Additionally, Irish potato-based prepared medium is a viable alternative to ready-to-use fungal growth media. These results would stimulate the use of local resources in media formulation and help labs with limited access to funding.