International Journal of Science, Engineering and TechnologyAuthors: N. B. Wofu, N. G. Ogbuji, Tariah, J. O
Abstract: Musa paradisiaca (L.), a key tropical fruit crop, holds nutritional and economic importance. Its fruit-associated microbial communities affect postharvest quality, shelf life, and biotechnological potential. However, molecular data on bacterial populations across ripening stages remain scarce. This study used Illumina NGS to characterize bacterial communities in ripe and unripe plantain fruits from Choba market, Rivers State, Nigeria. DNA was extracted via Laragen’s protocol, and the 16S rDNA V4 region was amplified using 515F/806R primers. Sequencing yielded 21,344 quality-filtered reads, producing 479 OTUs. Ripe fruits showed higher bacterial richness and diversity (Chao1 and Shannon indices) than unripe ones. Proteobacteria dominated both samples (74.70% ripe; 35.85% unripe), followed by Firmicutes (23.63%; 3.20%). Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes were minor (<1%). At genus level, Enterobacter prevailed in ripe fruits (73.73%), with Bacillus (20.99%) and Pantoea (1.70%); Pseudomonas dominated unripe fruits (95.22%). Rare genera included Bacteroides (0.08–0.09%), Paracoccus (0.04%), and Burkholderia (0.04%). Phylogenetic analysis showed distinct clustering of four phyla, with Pseudomonas, Bacillus, and Enterobacter prominent in their clades. The findings revealed that M. paradisiaca fruits harbored a diverse and ripening-dependent bacterial community primarily composed of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. Further metagenomic and functional studies are recommended to identify beneficial strains for biocontrol, biofertilizers, and postharvest management, improving plantain safety, quality, and economic value.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18279786
