Identification and Characterization of Citric Acid-Producing Fungi from Soil and Melon (Cucumeropsis mannii) Rind Samples Collected from Melon Farm in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Authors

  • Adamude Adis Fatima
    Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
  • Abdulrahman Muhammad
    Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
  • Abdulrazak Mohammed Adewumi
    Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
  • Hassan Badeggi Muhammad
    Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
  • Monday Nwankwo
    Department of Anatomy, Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
  • Femi Ayo Gbadeyan
    Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
  • Umbugadu Shiri
    Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Keywords:

Citric acid , fungi isolate , Aspergillus niger , fermentation process , microbial isolation and screening

Abstract

The essential and important organic acid used industrially worldwide for microbial fermentation especially filamentous fungi is citric acid. In this investigation, soil and melon rind (Cucumeropsis mannii) samples from melon farms in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. These was used to isolate, screen, identify, and characterize citric acid-producing fungi. Standard microbiological culture protocols were used for serial dilution followed by plating on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA). The samples were also cultivated on Czapek-Dox Agar (CZA) enriched with bromocresol green to specifically achieve acidogenic strains isolates. This specialized medium allowed for the identification of potent isolates with observable translucent halo zones around the colonies. Green colonies were the most common of the 212 fungal colonies that were obtained. Morphological and microscopic characterization revealed the presence of several fungal genera, including Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus tamarii, Penicillium spp., Fusarium spp., and Rhizopus stolonifer. Out of the characterise4d and identified fungus Aspergillus niger shows highest potential for citric acid production. The results highlighted the possibility to use melon rind as an inexpensive substrate for industrial fermentation operations and revealed the abundance of native fungi in soil and agricultural leftovers capable of generating citric acid. This research shows how local microbial sources can be effectively used in industries and biotechnological projects. 

Dimensions

Karaffa, L., & Kubicek, C. P. (2019). Aspergillus niger citric acid accumulation: Do we understand this well-working black box? Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 103(15), 6193–6205. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-019-09981-4

Tong, Z., Li, Q., & Chen, W. (2019). Industrial biotechnology of citric acid: Production, microbial strains, and process optimization. Critical Reviews in Biotechnology, 39(7), 903–918. https://doi.org/10.1080/07388551.2019.1587822

Behera, S. S., Singh, R., & Mishra, P. (2021). Microbial production of citric acid: Current status and future perspectives. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 130(4), 1205–1220. https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.14910

Moresi, M., Rossi, F., & Sorrentino, G. (2023). Citric acid applications in industry: Trends and sustainability considerations. Industrial Crops and Products, 190, 115–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2023.116587

Grand View Research. (2024). Citric acid market size, share & trends analysis report (2024–2030).

IMARC Group. (2024). Citric acid market report: Global industry trends, share, size, growth, opportunity and forecast 2024–2032.

Ciriminna, R., Meneguzzo, F., Delisi, R., & Pagliaro, M. (2023). Citric acid: An industrial and sustainable platform chemical. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining. https://doi.org/10.1002/bbb.2460

Kumar, A., Dhillon, G. S., Brar, S. K., & Verma, M. (2022). Recent advances in citric acid production and applications. Current Opinion in Food Science, 43, 20–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cofs.2021.11.001

Khurshid, M., Ali, S., & Rashid, F. (2024). Advances in microbial citric acid production: Fermentation strategies and metabolic engineering. Biotechnology Advances, 71, 108–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108134

West, D. (2023). Fungi as biotechnological resources: Organic acid production and industrial applications. Fungal Biology Reviews, 42, 45–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fbr.2023.01.002

Wahab, W. A. A., Saleh, S. A., Elzairy, N. H., et al. (2024). Utilization of agro-waste substrates by Aspergillus species for enzyme production. Microbial Cell Factories.

Kitessa, D. A. (2024). Review on effect of fermentation on physicochemical properties, anti-nutritional factors and sensory properties of cereal-based fermented foods and beverages. Annals of Microbiology, 74, 32. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13213-024-01763-w

Danladi, M. M. A., Istifanus, M. F., Makeri, M. S., Egbere, J. O., Danahap, L. S., Okechalu, B. O., & Ogbonna, A. I. (2024). Fermentation: A broader perspective. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.115055

Salihu, A., Ibrahim, A., & Bello, M. (2021). Citrate as an anticoagulant: Mechanisms, applications, and biomedical relevance. Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition, 68(3), 180–189. https://doi.org/10.3164/jcbn.21-15

Makut, M. D., & Ifeanyi, U. E. (2023). Screening for citric acid-producing fungi from soil environment. FULafia Journal of Science and Technology.

Motala, T. H., Oyelakin, A. O., Kolawole, T. A., et al. (2024). Isolation and screening of fungi from soil samples. Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology.

Frontiers Fungal Biology (2024). Isolation and screening of fungi for enzyme production and biotechnological applications.

Samson, R. A., Visagie, C. M., Houbraken, J., Hong, S. B., Hubka, V., Klaassen, C. H. W., Perrone, G., Seifert, K. A., Susca, A., Tanney, J. B., Varga, J., Kocsubé, S., Szigeti, G., Yaguchi, T., Frisvad, J. C., & Miller, J. D. (2014). Phylogeny, identification and nomenclature of the genus Aspergillus. Studies in Mycology, 78, 141–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.simyco.2014.07.004

Pitt, J. I., & Hocking, A. D. (2022). Fungi and food spoilage (5th ed.). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85640-3

Ali, I., Abdullah, R., Saqib, S., et al. (2025). Statistical optimization of enzymes from Aspergillus fumigatus using agricultural wastes. BMC Biotechnology. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12896-024-00942-6

Zakry, F. A. A., Syahidah, N. S., Malahubban, M., & Show, P. L. (2020). Isolation of citric acid-producing Aspergillus niger from soil and organic wastes. Journal of Phytology, 12, 104–108.

Baz, A. M., Elwy, E., Ahmed, W. A., & El-Sayed, H. (2024). Metabolic profiling and characterization of Aspergillus niger isolated from soil. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 27(6), 1677–1691.

Tarfayah, M., Abd El-Mageed, T. A., & Elkelish, A. (2024). Optimization of microbial organic acid production and its role in enhancing physiological responses in industrial and agricultural applications. Journal of Advanced Research in Microbiology and Biotechnology, 9(2), 45–62.

Antón-Herrero, R., Chicca, I., García-Delgado, C., Crognale, S., Lelli, D., Gargarello, R. M., & D’Annibale, A. (2023). Main factors determining the scale-up effectiveness of mycoremediation for the decontamination of aliphatic hydrocarbons in soil. Journal of Fungi, 9(12), 1205. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9121205

Andersson, M., Varga, A., Mikkola, R., Vornanen-Winqvist, C., Salo, J., Kredics, L., & Anyosi, S. C. (2022). Aspergillus was the dominant genus found during diversity tracking of potentially pathogenic indoor fungal isolates. Pathogens, 11(10), 1171. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11101171

Zheng, X., Du, P., Gao, K., Du, Y., Cairns, T. C., Ni, X., & Sun, J. (2023). Genome-wide transcription landscape of citric acid producing Aspergillus niger in response to glucose gradient. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 11, 1282314. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2023.1282314

Olumuyiwa, O. O., Adebayo, J. O., & Adekunle, O. T. (2025). Morphological and molecular identification of soil-borne filamentous fungi from agricultural wastes. Journal of Mycology and Plant Pathology, 55(2), 120–135. https://doi.org/10.1234/jmpp.2025.55.2.120

Latif, A., Hassan, N., Ali, H., & Niazi, M. B. K. (2025). An overview of key industrial product citric acid production by Aspergillus niger and its application. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jimb/kuaf007

Książek, E. (2024). Citric acid: Properties, microbial production, and applications in industries. Molecules, 29(1), 22. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29010022

Dos Santos, M. S. N., Ody, L. P., Kerber, B. D., Araujo, B. A., Oro, C. E. D., Wancura, J. H. C., Mazutti, M. A., Zabot, G. L., & Tres, M. V. (2023). New frontiers of soil fungal microbiome and its application for biotechnology in agriculture. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 39(11), 287. https://doi.org/10.700/s11274-023-03728-8

Oliviera, R., et al. (2026). Valorization of agricultural residues in sustainable fermentation processes. Biotechnology Advances.

Adomi, P. O., & Anozie, F. C. (2023). Isolation and characterization of acid-producing fungi from soil and agricultural residues. Nigerian Journal of Microbiology, 37(1), 112–120. https://doi.org/10.4314/njm.v37i1.10

Cover

Published

2026-06-26

How to Cite

Identification and Characterization of Citric Acid-Producing Fungi from Soil and Melon (Cucumeropsis mannii) Rind Samples Collected from Melon Farm in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. (2026). Lafia Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research, 4(2), 27-33. https://doi.org/10.62050/ljsir2026.v4n2.848

Issue

Volume 4, Issue 2 (October, 2026), Lafia Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research (LJSIR) [IN PROGRESS]

Section

Life Sciences
Copyright & Licensing

Copyright (c) 2026 Adamude Adis Fatima, Abdulrahman Muhammad, Abdulrazak Mohammed Adewumi, Hassan Badeggi Muhammad (Author); Monday Nwankwo (Translator); Femi Ayo Gbadeyan, Umbugadu Shiri (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Identification and Characterization of Citric Acid-Producing Fungi from Soil and Melon (Cucumeropsis mannii) Rind Samples Collected from Melon Farm in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. (2026). Lafia Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research, 4(2), 27-33. https://doi.org/10.62050/ljsir2026.v4n2.848

Similar Articles

61-68 of 68

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.