Isolation and Identification of Pigment- Producing Microfungi from Selected Terrestrial Habitats in University of Southern Mindanao

The study was conducted to isolate and identify pigment-producing microfungi from the soils of three different habitats found in University of Southern Mindanao, Kabacan, North Cotabato, Philippines. This study also qualitatively characterized the pigment extracts produced by each identified microfungal isolates using paper chromatography. Soil analysis was also conducted. There were a total of 30 colonies present in the Sabouraud dextrose agar plates after 7 days. For preliminary studies, five culturally and morphologically distinct pigment-producing microfungi were selected and isolated. These were identified as Penicillium sp., Aspergillus sp., Fusarium sp., and Curvularia sp. while one isolate wascharacterized as non-sporulating mold. Fungal pigment development was also observed everyday for 7 days. The final pigments produced by the five isolates after incubation at 30°C were red, green, orange, brown and pink, respectively. Of the five pigment extracts, the red pigment from Penicillium sp. Exhibited the most concentrated and intense coloration which can be a good source of organic pigment for industrial application. The pigment extracts were qualitatively analyzed using paper chromatography employing acetone as the solvent system and Whatman no. 42 as the chromatogram. Penicillium sp. produced four distinct colored bands, non-sporulating mold produced two colored bands, Fusarium sp. and Curvularia sp. had one colored band while Aspergillus sp. did not produce any band in the chromatogram.

Keywords: Biopigments, microfungi, paper chromatography, colorants.