FORMULATION OF MICROBIAL GROWTH USING MILLET AND SWEET POTATO

Culture media supply the nutrients required for the growth and maintenance of microorganism in the laboratory. This study aims to investigate the possibility of using locally available materials (sweet potato and millet) as basal media and as a substitute for commercially available media formulation of microbial growth. Four different media were formulated, namely, Millet agar (MA), Sweet Potato agar (SPA), Millet glucose agar (MGA) and sweet potato dextrose agar (SPGA). The test organisms chosen were bacterial genera Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and fungal genera Aspergillus spp and Rhizopus sp. The suitability of the formulated media was estimated by culturing the isolated species through the pour plating method. The results reveal that the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli is higher in the nutrient agar followed by the formulated millet agar and least growth was seen on the sweet potato agar. The higher growth level in millet compared to…