Pawpaw (Carica papaya) is one of the most important crops grown in Africa. The
fruit is consumed fresh by many people and hence, source of essential mineral elements
and nutrients. This study was conducted to investigate the fungi associated with fruit
rot disease of pawpaw and the effect of the disease on nutritional value of the fruits.
The fungi isolated from fruit rot of pawpaw got from Okitipupa, Ondo State, were
grown on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) at (28±2°C) and observed macroscopically
and microscopically for cultural and spore characteristics. The fungi were identified
as Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium italicum, Rhizophus stolonifer,
Mucor mucedo, Penicillium notatum and Fusarium solani. Healthy freshly harvested
pawpaw fruits (wounded) were inoculated with the fungus responsible for fruit rot and
incubated for some days (pathogenicity test). All isolated fungi were pathogenic to
the fruits when pathogenicity test was carried out. Healthy fruits as well as infected
ones were analysed for carbohydrate, fibre, moisture, protein, ash and fat content.
Furthermore, the infected fruits showed relative decrease in nutrient composition as
compared to healthy fruits but increase in moisture content and protein.