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Mixed fruit wine (pineapple and watermelon) was produced using Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from palm wine. Primary and secondary fermentation of the fruits lasted for 7 and 28 days respectively, during which aliquot samples analysis of pH, titrable acidity, specific gravity, alcohol content and reducing sugar were carried out using standard procedures. Specific gravity of the wine was observed to reduce drastically as the fermentation progresses. The pH of the fruit must during the period of fermentation ranged from 3.0 to 4.46. During the fermentation period, consistent increase in alcohol content was observed with time. At the end of the 28 th day of fermentation, the alcohol content was observed to be 3.2%. The titrable acidity of the wine was observed to show steady trend with time throughout the period of fermentation. This study showed that acceptable wine can be produced from mixed fruits pineapple and watermelon using yeasts especially Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from palm wine.

Introduction: The efficient ethanol production using Saccharomyces spp. isolated from palm wine in utilizing industrial wastes (cassava pulp and peel) was studied in the liquid state fermentation process. Methods: The percentage alcohol in the cassava pulp and peel was obtained by digesting the cassava waste with three different commercial exogenous enzymes which include alpha amylase (Termamyl), Amyloglucosidase (AMG), β-glucanase t a-amylase (Cereflo) and fermenting with yeast (Saccharomyces spp.) isolated from palm wine. The combination of two enzymes in starch hydrolysis produced more sugars than individual enzyme usage and also yielded more of ethanol when compared to a single enzyme activity. It was also observed that AMG combined with Termamyl yielded 2.05% ethanol. Cereflo combined with Termamyl yielded 1.6% ethanol while Tennamyl alone yielded 1.26% ethanol from cassava pulp. However, it was also observed that AMG combined with Termamyl yielded 0.46% ethanol, Cereflo combined with Termamyl yielded 0.73% ethanol while Termamyl alone yielded 0.33% ethanol from cassava peel. Results: This implies that ethanol produced from cassava pulp is higher than ethanol produced from cassava peel, since the cassava pulp contains high starch than the peel. Conclusions: These digestions using these enzymes and subsequent ethanol production can go a long way in waste management for economic purposes.

Post-harvest deterioration is the most important cause of loss of cassava (Manihot esculenta) production and this is mainly due to fungal diseases. This research was conducted to identify the major fungi responsible for post-harvest deterioration of cassava. A total of twenty four cassava tubers were harvested from a farm in Okpuno, Awka South LGA, Anambra State, Nigeria and used for the study. The weight loss of the tubers were determined. Rot causing fungi were isolated and characterized and the pathogenicity testing of the isolates were performed. Three genera of fungi were identified from the spoilt cassava samples including Fusarium, Aspergillus and Lasiodiplodia. Aspergillus spp. were found to be the chief causal agents of cassava rots. Three species of Aspergillus were isolated viz. Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus tamarii and Aspergillus sp; two species of Fusarium viz. Fusarium solani and Fusarium oxysporium were isolated. All the fungi identified were pathogenic to fresh cassava. The percentage severity of rots and percentage weight loss ranged from 115.38% to 145.38% and 7.68% to 25% respectively for both methods.

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