OPTIMIZATION OF EXTRACELLULAR GLUCANASE PRODUCTION FROM FUNGI ANTAGONISTIC TO PHYTOPATHOGEN FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM MTCC 4162 IN VITRO

In order to find out the potential biological control fungal agent against Fusarium oxysporum MTCC 4162, various isolated fungal species from local rhizosphere showing antagonistic activity were optimized for extracellular glucanase production. The locally isolated antagonists included Rhizopus oryzae, Penicillium notatum, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Mucor racemosus, Curvularia lunata, Alternaria alternata and Fusarium equiseti. Results revealed that all tested fungal species except Rhizopus oryzae (pH 7.5) produces maximum glucanase at neutral pH (pH 7.0). Incubation temperature 25°C and 35°C were found optimum for production of glucanase enzyme. A. alternata showed maximum -1 -1 glucanase activity (112.22 µg glucose min mg protein ) at 25°C followed by A. flavus. Aspergillus niger produced -1 -1 maximum glucanase enzyme in presence of starch (59.21 µg glucose min mg protein ) followed by galactose (50.25 µg -1 -1 glucose min mg protein ). Alternaria alternata produced maximum glucanase enzyme in presence of peptone (123.98 µg -1 -1 -1 -1 glucose min mg protein ) followed by tryptone (63.90 µg glucose min mg protein ). The study advocates that for effective biological control, optimization of fungal strains for glucanase must be performed to get better results.