Maize contamination by Aspergillus flavus and its aflatoxins poses a persistent threat to food safety and public health in Nigeria. This study isolated and identified Aspergillus species from maize obtained in three major markets in Makurdi, Benue State, using morphological characterization and the ammonia vapor test. Essential oils were extracted from lemon peels, banana peels, turmeric rhizomes, neem leaves, and lemongrass through Soxhlet extraction, purified by distillation, and evaluated for antifungal activity using the disc diffusion method. Results revealed that all tested oils inhibited fungal growth to varying degrees, with turmeric and neem extracts exhibiting the strongest inhibition zones, while banana peel oil showed the least effect. Neither the positive control (Flucostat I.V.) nor the negative control (Tween-80) produced inhibition, confirming that the observed antifungal activity originated from the plant extracts. These findings demonstrate the promise of locally available botanicals as eco-friendly antifungal agents for managing Aspergillus contamination in maize systems.
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